The NYT Connections puzzle drops 16 words that fit into four neat groups of four. On 21 November 2025 the set blended cocktails, costume/accessory items, Pixar-themed protagonists and a clever “starts with a synonym for ‘eat’” group. Below you’ll find carefully written hints followed by the full grouped answers.

NYT Connections Puzzle Overview: 21 November 2025

Today’s grid felt playful and balanced: two groups leaned on pop-culture and cocktails, one on clothing/accessory terminology, and one on a sly linguistic trick where the first word echoes a verb meaning “to eat.” Solvers who spotted the starter-words early gained a big advantage.

NYT Connections Hints: 21 November 2025

Category 1:
  • Think small decorative items people attach to jacket lapels.
  • One is often given to signal support for a cause.
  • Another is a floral decoration worn at formal events.
  • One is a small badge or ornamental fastener; one is a microphone jewelry term.
Category 2:
  • These are all mixed-drink names you might order at a bar.
  • One features vodka and cranberry; another pairs vodka with orange juice.
  • One commonly includes grapefruit juice and can be salted on the rim.
  • A breezy, fruit-forward name evokes the ocean.
Category 3:
  • All four clues point to protagonists from Pixar films.
  • One is a fish who’s actually a comic and brave hero.
  • One is an elderly, grumpy man with a house and balloons.
  • One is a red vehicle who races; another is a talking toy/doll character.
Category 4:
  • Here each entry begins with a verb that can mean “to eat” or “to gobble.”
  • The first words include bolt, chow, scarf and wolf in metaphorical senses.
  • The rest of each phrase names an object, food, ring, or creature.
  • Think about the starter word separately from the full phrase.

NYT Connections Answers: 21 November 2025

Here are the answers, grouped by category.

Category 1:
Category 2:
Category 3:
Category 4:

Conclusion & Quick Strategy Tip

Today’s puzzle was satisfying — a tidy mix of pop-culture recognition, barroom vocabulary and a clever wordplay category that rewarded splitting compound phrases into starter + noun. Solvers who tested likely starter-words early cleared a lot of ambiguity.

Quick strategy tip: when a set seems disparate, check whether the first word in several entries can stand alone as a verb or adjective — that split often reveals a grouping fast.