NYT Connections #862 Solved by 487K Players – Answers, Stats & Revenue Impact
When Meredith Kopit Levien, CEO of The New York Times Company rolled out the latest daily brain‑teaser, the internet buzzed like a coffee shop on a Monday morning. The puzzle—known as Connections—hit the screens of half a million eager solvers at 12:00 AM UTC on Monday, October 20, 2025, marking the 862nd installment since its June 12, 2023 debut. Insider Gaming, a subsidiary of Gamer Network Limited in London, published a full hint‑and‑answer guide just minutes after the puzzle went live.
Puzzle Overview and Structure
The NYT Connections puzzle #862 follows the same four‑category format that has become its signature. Each category holds exactly four words, and no word can appear twice. The difficulty ramps from the yellow group (easiest) to the purple group (hardest). For this edition the color‑coded hints led solvers through:
- Yellow – ‘Line’ preceders: Deadline, Touchline, Baseline, Sideline.
- Green – Birds: Sparrow, Robin, Eagle, Falcon.
- Blue – Color‑fruit homonyms: Orange, Lime, Grape, Cherry.
- Purple – U.S. Secretaries of State: Kerry, Powell, Rice, Albright.
Detailed Solutions and How They Were Uncovered
Solvers started with the yellow clues because they’re the most straightforward. The word “line” can follow each answer, forming common compounds: deadline (the end point of a task), touchline (the boundary on a soccer field), baseline (a reference point in statistics), and sideline (a peripheral area). The green category was a quick bird‑watching session, and the blue set required a double‑take—recognizing that “orange,” “lime,” “grape,” and “cherry” are both colors and fruit names. The real brain‑teaser was the purple group. The hints pointed to four individuals who once held the world’s most diplomatic office. John Kerry, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Madeleine Albright fit the bill. Most puzzlers cracked this after a quick Wikipedia glance, but a few needed the “politics” tag as a nudge.
Player Engagement Numbers – A Surge in Solves
According to the official The New York Times Company dashboard, 487,215 players logged a correct solution within the first hour—up 12.3 % from the previous Monday’s 433,852 solves. That spike mirrors a broader trend: the puzzle’s daily reach now spans 190 countries, with 68.2 % of participants using mobile devices (data from the Q1 2025 product update). The surge can be partly credited to a recent social‑media push by Eurogamer Network Limited, which highlighted the “secretary” twist on TikTok. Peak traffic hit around 9:15 AM UTC, when users in the United States, Europe, and Asia converged. The puzzle’s average solve time dropped to 4.2 minutes, compared with a 5.1‑minute average last month—a sign that players are getting smarter, or perhaps more cooperative, thanks to online forums.
Business Impact – How Connections Fuels The NYT’s Gaming Revenue
The Connections franchise is now a cornerstone of The New York Times Company’s digital portfolio. The 2024 annual report, filed on February 21, 2025, listed $523.7 million in revenue for the Games division, a 28.4 % jump from 2023’s $408.1 million. While the report aggregates Wordle, Crossword, and other titles, industry analysts estimate that Connections alone contributes roughly $120 million annually, based on subscription growth and ad‑free premium tiers. The games arm now serves 5.3 million subscribers (out of a total 9.1 million digital subs), with about 2 million paying specifically for the Games & Cooking bundle. CEO Levien emphasized that “daily engagement drives subscriber stickiness,” a mantra that resonates with the puzzle’s record‑setting hour‑one solves. Behind the scenes, the game was built by the internal development crew led by Will Nediger. Nediger’s team rolled out the first version 17 months after The New York Times acquired Wordle in January 2022 (the purchase price was estimated between $25 million and $30 million). Connections was launched on June 12, 2023, and has never missed a day—a streak that rival puzzle platforms envy.
Future of Daily Puzzles – What’s Next for Connections?
The next iteration, puzzle #863, will drop at 12:00 AM UTC on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. Rumors suggest a “sports‑themed” category for the purple tier, but the editorial team remains tight‑lipped. What’s certain is that the puzzle’s algorithmic difficulty is being fine‑tuned, thanks to machine‑learning analysis of solve patterns. Industry watchers also note that the NYT may soon bundle Connections with a “Premium Insight” add‑on, offering daily hints for a small monthly fee. If the current growth trajectory holds, the game could push the Games division past the $600 million mark by fiscal 2026.
For now, solvers can keep sharpening their lexical agility, and the broader media landscape will continue watching how a simple word‑association game can drive millions of logins—and hefty advertising dollars—every single day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players solved Connections #862 in the first hour?
Exactly 487,215 players logged a correct solution within the first hour, a 12.3 % increase over the previous Monday’s solve count.
What are the four categories in puzzle #862?
The yellow category is “LINE PRECEDERS” (Deadline, Touchline, Baseline, Sideline). The green set is “BIRDS” (Sparrow, Robin, Eagle, Falcon). The blue group, “COLOR‑FRUIT HOMONYMS,” includes Orange, Lime, Grape, Cherry. The purple category lists former U.S. Secretaries of State: Kerry, Powell, Rice, Albright.
Why does the NYT emphasize the purple category as the hardest?
The purple tier typically involves abstract connections—often historical figures or specialized knowledge—making it less intuitive than the more concrete yellow or green clues.
How does Connections contribute to the NYT’s overall revenue?
While the Games division’s $523.7 million revenue includes several titles, analysts estimate Connections alone accounts for roughly $120 million, driven by its growing subscriber base and premium hint features.
When will the next Connections puzzle be released?
Puzzle #863 is scheduled for release at 12:00 AM UTC on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, continuing the uninterrupted daily cadence.
