Working on today’s Connections and want a nudge before you lock in groups? Here are gentle category hints for puzzle #852, followed by the revealed categories and the complete set of answers. If you’re new, Connections is the New York Times’ daily 4×4 word-grouping game where you sort 16 words into four tidy themes. You can play it on the web via the official Games hub at nytimes.com/games/connections.

Light hints for today’s four groups

  • Yellow — ideas that live in the mind, not in the world
  • Green — materials you might stand on, carve, or set in a countertop
  • Blue — elements you see attached to a reported story
  • Purple — archetypal protagonists named in classic video game titles

Need more than a nudge? Keep going for the categories, then the words in each set.

Today’s categories (no words yet)

  • Yellow: Fantasy/imagination
  • Green: Types of rocks
  • Blue: Parts of a news article
  • Purple: Title figures in classic video games

Full answers for NYT Connections #852

Color Category Words (4)
Yellow Fantasy / imagination FANCY, FICTION, FIGMENT, INVENTION
Green Types of rocks FLINT, LIMESTONE, MARBLE, SLATE
Blue News article features CAPTION, DATELINE, LEDE, PHOTO
Purple Title figures in classic video games GORILLA, HEDGEHOG, PLUMBER, PRINCESS

Why these groupings make sense

  • Fantasy/imagination: These are labels for things that are conceived rather than observed—useful decoys against more literal categories.
  • Types of rocks: All four are common rock names, some familiar from flooring and counters (marble, slate), others from tools and geology (flint, limestone).
  • News article features: Each belongs to basic story anatomy: a lede opens, a dateline places, a caption explains, a photo shows.
  • Title figures in classic video games: The archetype is spelled out in the title itself—Donkey Kong (gorilla), Sonic the Hedgehog (hedgehog), Super Mario (plumber), and franchises with a princess front and center.

Common traps in #852

  • Blue vs. Yellow: “FICTION” looks like it belongs near news terms; it doesn’t. Stick to structural pieces of an article for Blue.
  • Green decoys: Some “construction” words often pair with stonework; today the rock set is strictly geological names.
  • Purple misdirection: The game leans on the figure named in the title, not specific character names. Think role or archetype, not proper nouns.

Play on web or phone

You can play Connections in a browser at nytimes.com/games/connections. On Android, Connections is available inside the main NYTimes app on the Play Store: NYTimes: US and Global News. Open the app, then head to the Games section.

That’s today’s grid. If you’re chasing a reverse rainbow, consider tackling the wordplay-heavy Purple first tomorrow, then Blue, Green, and wrap with Yellow. The categories won’t be the same, but the rhythm helps you spot decoys early.