Connections groups words by theme

The New York Times Connections puzzle for August 8, 2025, features four categories: "Make Equal, As a Score," "Bestow," "Things You Might Do During a Boring Class/Meeting," and "Words After the Letters 'MS'." The words for "Make Equal, As a Score" are DRAW, EVEN, SQUARE, and TIE. "Bestow" includes CONFER, GRANT, PRESENT, and VEST. "Things You Might Do During a Boring Class/Meeting" are DOODLE, DOZE, PASS NOTES, and SPACE. Finally, "Words After the Letters 'MS'" are DEGREE, MARVEL, PAC-MAN, and PAINT. The puzzle was rated as difficult by the author, who struggled with some of the groupings and word meanings. NYT Connections is a popular word game where players group four items sharing a common theme, with categories ranging in difficulty.