Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #681) – today’s words

Today’s NYT Connections words are…

• ICE
• WHEEL
• GREASE
• LIGHTNING
• FIRE
• EEL
• AXE
• SUN
• CLAY
• SCRAP
• VOLCANO
• GLAZE
• DROP
• BANANA PEEL
• KILN
• CUT

NYT Connections today (game #681) – hint #1 – group hints

What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Halt
• GREEN: Making china pots 
• BLUE: Slide away
• PURPLE: Hot, hot, hot 

Need more clues?

We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #681) – hint #2 – group answers

What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: CANCEL, AS A PROJECT
• GREEN: SEEN IN A POTTERY STUDIO 
• BLUE: THINGS THAT ARE SLIPPERY 
• PURPLE: NATURAL PRODUCERS OF HEAT 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #681) – the answers

The answers to today’s Connections, game #681, are…

• YELLOW: CANCEL, AS A PROJECT AXE, CUT, DROP, SCRAP
• GREEN: SEEN IN A POTTERY STUDIO CLAY, GLAZE, KILN, WHEEL
• BLUE: THINGS THAT ARE SLIPPERY BANANA PEEL, EEL, GREASE, ICE
• PURPLE: NATURAL PRODUCERS OF HEAT FIRE, LIGHTNING, SUN, VOLCANO

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 mistake

Today’s joke was, of course, GREASE and LIGHTNING. Although I’m sure I wasn’t alone in the words ICE and FIRE triggering a quick search for a Game of Thrones group (A Song of Ice and Fire being the title of the unfinished collection of books it is based on).

My mistake today came as I was soaring towards a faultless round. Thinking there was a group that was about natural electricity creation I had EEL instead of VOLCANO in what became the purple quartet, NATURAL PRODUCERS OF HEAT.

That they produce electricity is one of three things people know about eels, the others being they are slippery and some brave souls enjoy eating them boiled and served in jelly (I am not one of those people, the idea of eating something that is slimy, boney and stringy does not whet my appetite).

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Monday, 21 April, game #680)

• YELLOW: INFO ON A NUTRITION LABEL FAT, IRON, PROTEIN, SODIUM
• GREEN: METAPHOR FOR SOMETHING UNEXPECTED BOMBSHELL, CURVEBALL, TWIST, WRENCH
• BLUE: THINGS YOU CAN INSERT INTO A SPREADSHEET CELL, COLUMN, ROW, SHEET
• PURPLE: HELICAL THINGS CORKSCREW, DNA, FUSILLI, SPRING

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna’s addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.