Connections Hints

Monday, November 17, 2025

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — November 17, 2025

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Show the word gridAll 16 words — you figure out the groups
Show the themesCategory names only, no words revealed
One word per groupTheme name + one word per category
Full solutionAll words and explanations
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Word grid

All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.

ABSOLUTELY
ALLEY-OOP
FADEAWAY
FINGER ROLL
GO-GETTER
LEAVENING
OF COURSE
OFF-LIMITS
OKEY-DOKE
PROSCRIBED
SCATTERGORIES
SHOO-IN
SLAM DUNK
SURE THING
TABOO
VERBOTEN
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Themes

The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.

"YOU BET"Straightforward
FORBIDDENModerate
BASKETBALL SHOTSTricky
STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "SCRAM!"Devious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

"YOU BET"Straightforward
WAYS TO SAY 'YES, DEFINITELY!' WITH ENTHUSIASM+ 3 more…
FORBIDDENModerate
WORDS MEANING NOT ALLOWED OR PROHIBITED+ 3 more…
BASKETBALL SHOTSTricky
WAYS TO SCORE IN THE NBA+ 3 more…
STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "SCRAM!"Devious
EACH WORD HIDES A COMMAND TO GET LOST AT THE START+ 3 more…
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Full solution
"YOU BET"Straightforward
ABSOLUTELY,OKEY-DOKE,OF COURSE,SURE THING

ABSOLUTELY, OKEY-DOKE, OF COURSE, and SURE THING are all affirmative responses meaning 'you bet' — enthusiastic ways to say yes.

FORBIDDENModerate
OFF-LIMITS,PROSCRIBED,TABOO,VERBOTEN

OFF-LIMITS, PROSCRIBED, TABOO, and VERBOTEN all mean forbidden or not permitted.

BASKETBALL SHOTSTricky
ALLEY-OOP,FADEAWAY,FINGER ROLL,SLAM DUNK

ALLEY-OOP, FADEAWAY, FINGER ROLL, and SLAM DUNK are all types of basketball shots.

STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "SCRAM!"Devious
GO-GETTER,LEAVENING,SCATTERGORIES,SHOO-IN

GO-GETTER (GO), LEAVENING (LEAVE), SCATTERGORIES (SCATTER), and SHOO-IN (SHOO) each start with a synonym for 'scram.'

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