A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #836
hints & answers for September 24, 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 24, 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, F, F and P. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FEATURE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MOVIE

Reveal all four words
  • FEATURE
  • FILM
  • FLICK
  • PICTURE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

LITTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STREW

Reveal all four words
  • LITTER
  • PEPPER
  • SCATTER
  • SPRINKLE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BRAIN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WRINKLY THINGS

Reveal all four words
  • BRAIN
  • CREPE PAPER
  • PRUNE
  • SHAR PEI

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

POTATO belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SWEET ___

Reveal all four words
  • POTATO
  • SIXTEEN
  • TALK
  • TOOTH

Each entry comes after "SWEET" to form a word, expression or name: POTATO → SWEET POTATO; SIXTEEN → SWEET SIXTEEN; TALK → SWEET TALK; TOOTH → SWEET TOOTH.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: MOVIE
  • Green: STREW
  • Blue: WRINKLY THINGS
  • Purple: SWEET ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

MOVIE

FEATURE · FILM · FLICK · PICTURE

Green

STREW

LITTER · PEPPER · SCATTER · SPRINKLE

Blue

WRINKLY THINGS

BRAIN · CREPE PAPER · PRUNE · SHAR PEI

Purple

SWEET ___

POTATO · SIXTEEN · TALK · TOOTH

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.