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NYT Connections Hints for August 31, 2025 (#853)

Game

DRUM
BASS
FISH
CARDS
FIDDLE
ROAST
DOES
FLAME
CHOP
AXES
BLAST
DICE
COORDINATE
PIECES
BOARD
BASH

Hints by Category

CRITICIZE HARSHLY

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Expressing strong disapproval or criticism

BASH
To criticize severely or harshly.
BLAST
To criticize or attack strongly.
FLAME
To criticize angrily, often in online contexts.
ROAST
To criticize or mock someone humorously but harshly.

COMMON COMPONENTS OF BOARD GAMES

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Standard elements found in many board games

BOARD
The main playing surface for board games.
CARDS
Playing cards used in various board games.
DICE
Small cubes with numbered sides used for randomization.
PIECES
Game tokens or figures that players move on the board.

Words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings

AXES
Can refer to tools for chopping (plural of axe) or mathematical axes.
BASS
Can refer to a type of fish or low musical tones.
COORDINATE
Can be a verb meaning to organize or a noun referring to a position.
DOES
Can be the third person singular of 'do' or the plural of 'doe' (female deer).

Compound words ending with 'sticks'

CHOP
Chopsticks - utensils used for eating Asian food.
DRUM
Drumsticks - sticks used for playing drums or chicken drumsticks.
FIDDLE
Fiddlesticks - an exclamation of annoyance or disappointment.
FISH
Fishsticks - breaded and fried fish portions.