Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Oct. 12, #854.
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.
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Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won “Headline Writer of the Year” award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism. Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
To solve today’s NYT Connections puzzle, it will help if you’re a birdwatcher. But if you need help, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.
The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.
Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time
Hints for today’s Connections groupsHere are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: On and on and on.
Green group hint: Set up.
Blue group hint: They fly.
Purple group hint: Not sad.
Answers for today’s Connections groupsYellow group: For all time.
Green group: Establishes.
Blue group: Birds.
Purple group: Happy ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers? The completed NYT Connections puzzle for Oct. 12, 2025.
NYT/Screenshot by CNETThe yellow words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is for all time. The four answers are eternal, everlasting, forever and permanent.
The green words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is establishes. The four answers are begins, institutes, launches and pioneers.
The blue words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is birds. The four answers are kite, robin, swallow and swift.
The purple words in today’s ConnectionsThe theme is happy ____. The four answers are days, ending, returns and trails.
Toughest Connections puzzlesWe’ve made a note of some of the toughest Connections puzzles so far. Maybe they’ll help you see patterns in future puzzles.
#5: Included “things you can set,” such as mood, record, table and volleyball.
#4: Included “one in a dozen,” such as egg, juror, month and rose.
#3: Included “streets on screen,” such as Elm, Fear, Jump and Sesame.
#2: Included “power ___” such as nap, plant, Ranger and trip.
#1: Included “things that can run,” such as candidate, faucet, mascara and nose.
