A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #828
hints & answers for September 16, 2025

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows September 16, 2025. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.

Which group has you stuck?

Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with F, M, T and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FOLLOW belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KEEP TABS ON

Reveal all four words
  • FOLLOW
  • MONITOR
  • TRACK
  • WATCH

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with D, J, M and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DONUT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ONE IN A DOZEN

Reveal all four words
  • DONUT
  • JUROR
  • MONTH
  • ROSE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with P, P, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

PEN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS WITH INK

Reveal all four words
  • PEN
  • PRINTER
  • SQUID
  • TATTOO MACHINE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

ROGER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ RABBIT

Reveal all four words
  • ROGER
  • TRIX
  • VELVETEEN
  • WHITE

Each entry comes before "RABBIT" to form a word, expression or name: ROGER → ROGER RABBIT; TRIX → TRIX RABBIT; VELVETEEN → VELVETEEN RABBIT; WHITE → WHITE RABBIT.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: KEEP TABS ON
  • Green: ONE IN A DOZEN
  • Blue: THINGS WITH INK
  • Purple: ___ RABBIT

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

KEEP TABS ON

FOLLOW · MONITOR · TRACK · WATCH

Green

ONE IN A DOZEN

DONUT · JUROR · MONTH · ROSE

Blue

THINGS WITH INK

PEN · PRINTER · SQUID · TATTOO MACHINE

Purple

___ RABBIT

ROGER · TRIX · VELVETEEN · WHITE

This puzzle’s recorded solution

The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.

About the answers and hints

Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.

Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.

The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.