Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, F, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BOUGIE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
LUXE
Reveal all four words
- BOUGIE
- FANCY
- POSH
- SWANK
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1202
hints & answers for September 25, 2026
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#1202
This reference always shows September 25, 2026. 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.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with E, P, R and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
ESCAPEMENT belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
PARTS OF A MECHANICAL CLOCK
Reveal all four words
- ESCAPEMENT
- PENDULUM
- RATCHET
- SPRING
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with A, L, R and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
AYKROYD belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
FAMOUS DANS
Reveal all four words
- AYKROYD
- LEVY
- RATHER
- SAVAGE
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, C, F and G. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BORDER belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER
Reveal all four words
- BORDER
- CLASSY
- FOAMILY
- GENIUS
Show categories only
- Yellow: LUXE
- Green: PARTS OF A MECHANICAL CLOCK
- Blue: FAMOUS DANS
- Purple: TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
LUXE
BOUGIE · FANCY · POSH · SWANK
Green
PARTS OF A MECHANICAL CLOCK
ESCAPEMENT · PENDULUM · RATCHET · SPRING
Blue
FAMOUS DANS
AYKROYD · LEVY · RATHER · SAVAGE
Purple
TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER
BORDER · CLASSY · FOAMILY · GENIUS
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.
Continue from this date
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.