NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, March 21 (game #649)

NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
(Image credit: New York Times)
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #648).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #649) - today's words

NYT Connections hints for game 649 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

  • COMPASS
  • ICON
  • SOAP
  • WORLD
  • LEGEND
  • EXAM
  • STENCIL
  • CHART
  • SCENE
  • RULER
  • MITZVAH
  • CIRCLE
  • GREAT
  • SPHERE
  • LION
  • T-SQUARE

NYT Connections today (game #649) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: A person’s environment
  • GREEN: Notable  
  • BLUE: Building plans 
  • PURPLE: The word that connects them rhymes with “car”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #649) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: MILIEU
  • GREEN: LUMINARY
  • BLUE: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS
  • PURPLE: __BAR

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #649) - the answers

NYT Connections answers for game 649 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #649, are…

  • YELLOW: MILIEU CIRCLE, SCENE, SPHERE, WORLD
  • GREEN: LUMINARY GREAT, ICON, LEGEND, LION
  • BLUE: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS COMPASS, RULER, STENCIL, T-SQUARE
  • PURPLE: __BAR CHART, EXAM, MITZVAH, SOAP

  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: 1 mistake

A very rare Connections where I saw the Purple group well before the end. MITZVAH was the biggest clue but I still used up a Mistake. I knew the common thread was the word __BAR but stupidly I included LION as there is a UK candy called Lion Bar and I thought maybe it was a worldwide thing. This daft decision aside, I'm pleased to have completed today’s puzzle.

I almost included CIRCLE among the ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS before remembering it’s the same thing as a COMPASS.

In another rarity I didn’t get the Yellow group at all, seeing LUMINARY first – including LION was a stretch, but I didn’t see any alternatives.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.


Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, 20 March, game #648)

  • YELLOW: OUTSPOKEN DIRECT, FRANK, LOUD, VOCAL
  • GREEN: BODIES OF WATER BAY, CHANNEL, SOUND, STRAIT
  • BLUE: KINDS OF CORDS BUNGEE, EXTENSION, SPINAL, UMBILICAL
  • PURPLE: THINGS IN BOTTLES GENIE, LIGHTNING, MESSAGE, SHIP

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Contributor

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna's addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.

With contributions from

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #648)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, March 13 (game #641)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, March 19 (game #647)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, March 14 (game #642)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, March 7 (game #635)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, March 1 (game #629)
Latest in Gaming
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, March 21 (game #649)
A image of Saros character Arjun
Housemarque’s boss is surprisingly positive about Sony’s acquisition – and it’s good news for Saros
Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar, taken on November 3, 2020.
The PS5 is currently selling faster than the PS4 did in the US, but I'm surprised to discover that the Xbox Series X and S are trailing behind Xbox One
A screenshot of Hazel from South of Midnight holding a glowing bottle
South of Midnight's audio team shed light on the game's unique approach: 'Games tend to follow certain formulas, and this wasn’t one of them'
Assassin's Creed Shadows
I was already sold on Assassin's Creed Shadows on PS5 Pro, but now the devs are teasing that the game will soon get a boost from PSSR
Amazon Luna controller spring sale
I love Amazon Luna and right now you can get everything you need to dive into 4K cloud gaming for $50 off
Latest in News
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, March 21 (game #649)
Lock on Laptop Screen
Data breach at Pennsylvania education union potentially exposes 500,000 victims
Boston Dynamics all electric Altas
This robot can do a cartwheel better than me and now I'm freaking out – but in a good way
A image of Saros character Arjun
Housemarque’s boss is surprisingly positive about Sony’s acquisition – and it’s good news for Saros
Oura Ring 4
One of Apple's top health execs is ditching the company for Oura, and I've never been more convinced smart rings are the future
Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar, taken on November 3, 2020.
The PS5 is currently selling faster than the PS4 did in the US, but I'm surprised to discover that the Xbox Series X and S are trailing behind Xbox One