NYT Connections, a daily puzzle by The New York Times, is designed to enhance vocabulary by challenging players to group related words. In this game, players must arrange 16 words into four groups of four based on hidden connections. Launched on PC in June 2023, Connections has rapidly gained popularity and is the second most-played game on the NYT platform. This article offers a detailed overview, providing guidance, hints, and the answers for the September 11, 2025, puzzle.
The game is centered around enhancing vocabulary and testing word knowledge. Created by Wyna Liu, associate puzzle editor at The New York Times, players are tasked with sorting 16 random words into predefined categories. Offering varying difficulty levels, the game is a fun way to expand vocabulary and engage the brain. The game is popular on social media, with users sharing their successes and failures online.
Hints for the September 11, 2025, puzzle: Find words about small marks or surface damage, something very large, impolite actions, and elements on a baseball field. Categories are: Yellow – BLEMISH; Green – BEHEMOTH; Blue – RUDE THINGS TO DO; Purple – ON A BASEBALL FIELD. The answers are: Yellow – DENT, DING, MAR, SCRATCH; Green – COLOSSUS, MAMMOTH, WHALE, WHOPPER; Blue – POINT, SNICKER, STARE, WHISPER; Purple – BASE, BOX, MOUND, PLATE.
To play, players encounter a grid of words and must identify the hidden connections. Strategies include focusing on synonyms, antonyms, and word families to solve the puzzle. In-game hints are available, and players can track their progress and compete with others. The puzzle refreshes daily at midnight on the NYT website and app. The objective is to categorize 16 words into four groups of four by identifying the relationships between them. Players must be cautious of words that may belong to multiple categories. The groups are color-coded, with yellow being the easiest, blue and green intermediate, and purple the most challenging. Incorrect guesses will cost lives, and four mistakes will end the game.