May 18, 2025: Today’s Connections Puzzle #707 Tips & Solutions

The themes of physical activities and communication styles dominate today’s Connections puzzle, presenting a distinctive challenge as you work to group four sets of four words each. For some, recognizing patterns in this puzzle may come easily. However, I discovered that there are clever traps that can trip up even experienced players, especially if they overlook certain hints.

In today’s Connections puzzle, you have just four opportunities to make a mistake, which is only one less than the typical NYT daily Wordle game. This means it’s wise to carefully explore connections between words and consider the context in which they’re used. Visualizing how you would articulate each word can help you identify patterns that link them to others.

Clue Categories for Today’s Connections

May 18 #707

I found today’s puzzle to be easier to navigate than previous ones, largely due to identifying specific patterns. I noticed that many of today’s words were action-oriented or related to various activities. Recognizing that verbs were prevalent helped me categorize my thoughts and arrive at the right answers more smoothly.

Speaking of categories, consider these clues to help you start brainstorming potential sections in today’s puzzle:

• One category pertains to activities students must complete.
• One category focuses on encouraging phrases used during a guessing game.
• One category involves words that describe readiness for an activity.
• One category highlights words that gain significance when accompanied by a crucial vowel.

Looking for clues among the names of the categories can also provide additional assistance if you find yourself stuck.

Today’s Answers for Connections

May 18 #707

Yellow Answers: Explained

This section of the puzzle was straightforward for me since I tend to link EXERCISE with DRILL from my sports experiences as a young person. Finishing up a LESSON or completing an ASSIGNMENT is vital in education, and these words are so closely related that it made spotting their category pattern easy.

Green Answers: Explained

Initially, I paired ALMOST and CLOSE based on how they both indicate nearing the completion of a task. Following that idea, I saw that being NOT QUITE done with a project means it still has some parts that are CLOSE to being finished. I understood that being WARM about something suggests being near a correct answer, fitting into the theme I perceived for this category.

Blue Answers: Explained

Anyone who has been part of a friend group knows that having an OPEN schedule is key. Being GAME for a plan requires a FLEXIBLE schedule and being OPEN on certain days. When something is EASY to join, it naturally becomes more appealing. This line of thought helped me identify the pattern in this category of the puzzle.

Purple Answers: Explained

I struggled the most with this category. I thought there might be a link between ATHLETIC and GAME, but, in trying to clarify, I noticed that AREA and ATHLETIC both start with an “A”. Additionally, I interpreted EXCELLENT as a representation of an “A” grade. Over time, I realized ONE signified a single instance, much like just an “A” representing one of something.

Other Games Similar to Connections

If you’re on the lookout for a different puzzle to enjoy, check out some options listed below.