NYT Connections Hints September 17, 2025: Check Clues and Answers to Solve Today’s Puzzle Game

NYT Connections, from the New York Times, is a daily guessing game where players are presented with 16 words and must group them into four categories of four words each. Each category will share a hidden commonality - sometimes obvious, sometimes sneaky - and each category is assigned a color to indicate the level of difficulty (yellow for the easiest, then green, blue, and purple for hardest). Part of the fun of the game is how it integrates word play, general knowledge, and spontaneity: it isn't always just a game of vocabulary, but rather seeing how words can relate based on unexpected conceptual connections. 

The puzzle from September 17th (Game #829) contained a mixture of fun and tricky connections. There was a category that centered on things that will blow in the wind, for example flag and a wind chime. There was also a category about reversing or altering mindsets, with examples like flip-flop and backpedal. There was a group based on cramming a lot into (stuff, jam). The hardest category highlighted the final words in famous TV shows aimed at children, like Street (as in Sesame Street) and Neighbourhood (as in Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood). 

Check Out: NYT Connections Hints September 16, 2025: Check Clues and Answers to Solve Today’s Puzzle Game

Hints for NYT Connections September 17, 2025 

Do you find yourself getting stuck on the New York Times Connections puzzle from September 17, 2025? Don't be embarrassed; you are not alone. While some word groups appear easy and fit perfectly together, others are made to elude many long-time solvers. If you get stuck, it can be helpful to step away for a little while. When you come back with a fresh mind, you may be able to see a pattern you missed, or even reconsider some combinations that you dismissed too quickly.

1. Yellow Group Hint: Think of things that flutter, twirl, or make noise when a breeze passes through.

2. Green Group Hint: Expressions for reversing course or retracting what you said.

3. Blue Group Hint: Verbs for squeezing or packing something tightly into a space.

4. Purple Group Hint: The closing words in the names of classic kids’ TV favorites.

Stepping back will often expose the clever logic that provided the unifying. Let’s take a moment to go through the groups together and explore the connections that tie these words together so nicely.

NYT Connections Answers for September 17, 2025 (Wednesday)

What did you think of the Connections puzzle (#829)? It was a nice mix of easy and hard matches, cultural references and knowledge, and some good twists that kept it fresh. If you've come up with all four groups, then kudos to you! 

Keep playing, keep looking, and always remember that every time you try something, you're making yourself a little bit better.

YELLOW: THEY'RE BLOWIN' IN THE WIND (FLAG, PINWHEEL, VANE, WIND CHIME)

GREEN: CHANGE ONE’S TUNE (ABOUT-FACE, BACKPEDAL, FLIP-FLOP, RENEGE)

BLUE: CRAM (JAM, SHOEHORN, STUFF, WEDGE)

PURPLE: LAST WORDS IN LONG-RUNNING CHILDREN’S SHOW TITLES (KANGAROO, NEIGHBORHOOD, RAINBOW, STREET)

It’s perfectly fine if you don’t complete a Connections puzzle, or if you need to set it aside before reaching the solution.

What is the NYT Connections Game?

The Connections puzzle presented by The New York Times is a daily pleasure for those who enjoy words and puzzles. Rather than a typical crossword, it requires uncovering selected groups of words that connect with one another in various ways, meaning you must spot patterns, make connections, and occasionally use some cultural knowledge.

Each grouping of answers presents its own challenge level: green for the easier connections, yellow for the spots that take a little thought, blue for the more difficult, and purple for the really hard connection, all presented with their own respective color.

Connections is a delightful combination of logic and creativity. It can also be tricky as the game starts out simple, but you may find, as you get into it, that a fun hunt for your various word groupings produces an on-going challenge that is quite addictive.

How to Play the NYT Connections Puzzle

When you first play NYT Connections, it might seem like a relatively easy game--but don’t let its simple exterior fool you. Some connections are straightforward. You can clearly see the links together because of their meanings, or because they feel like familiar groupings. 

There are lots of connections that are much more opaque depending on context from pop culture, wordplay, semantic associations, thematic similarities, etc. Connections is all about having fun and exploring these hidden connections regardless of the way you group them or how much time you spend playing. 

Take your time. Play with combinations, follow your feelings on where to sort new groups (even take bold guesses). Connections is not only a fun word game, but it is also, in essence, a clever way to playfully exercise your brain. It purposely, carefully, and intelligently invites you back again and again to play while also honoring memory, complex associations, and intelligence.

Best Strategies to Solve NYT Connections Puzzles

A clever strategy for implementing the NYT Connections puzzle is to start with the easier groupings, often in the green or yellow groupings. The easier linkages give a structure, clear some space, and can help make connections to possibly discover the tougher groups. 

When it seems that the puzzle is at a stalemate, try to mix things up. Rearrange the words, speak the phrase to yourself, or take a short break. A different viewpoint can uncover patterns that you were missing when solving the puzzle! 

Not every group relies on straightforward definitions; sometimes groupings are cultural references, wordplay, or logical reasoning. The key is trying to be open, curious, and willing to reexamine your methods of thinking while piecing the puzzle together.

Other NYT Games to Explore

If NYT Connections has become your new favorite, check out other daily brain teasers and games from The New York Times. 

Wordle: Guess a five-letter word in six attempts. 

Spelling Bee: Craft as many words as possible from a set of seven letters.

Mini Crossword: For a quick wordplay, perfect for a coffee break.

That's all for today's NYT Connections puzzle! Be sure to come back tomorrow for NYT Connections Hints and Answers for September 18, 2025.