Looking for the NYT Connections hints and answers for September 25, 2026? Today’s puzzle is Connections #1202, and there are a few sneaky word combinations that can make the grid tougher than it first appears.
The four groups are LUXE, PARTS OF A MECHANICAL CLOCK, FAMOUS DANS, and TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER. If you’re still trying to solve the puzzle, we’ve included hints first. The complete answers are further down the page.
NYT Connections Hints for September 25
Need a little help without giving away the entire puzzle? Start with these clues.
- Yellow Hint: These four words are linked to luxury and an expensive lifestyle.
- Green Hint: Think about the parts that make up a traditional mechanical clock.
- Blue Hint: These are surnames belonging to famous people named Dan.
- Purple Hint: This one is all about wordplay. Each word contains a taxonomic rank with one extra letter added.
Still stuck? The full answers are below.
Today’s NYT Connections Words
The 16 words in today’s puzzle are:
RATHER, BOUGIE, GENIUS, SPRING, BORDER, RATCHET, SWANK, SAVAGE, CLASSY, LEVY, PENDULUM, FANCY, ESCAPEMENT, POSH, FOAMILY, AYKROYD
Some of these may look like they belong together at first, but that’s where today’s puzzle tries to trip you up.
NYT Connections Answers for September 25
Warning: Spoilers ahead. If you want to keep solving on your own, this is your last chance to stop scrolling.
Yellow: LUXE
The yellow group is:
- BOUGIE
- FANCY
- POSH
- SWANK
These words all describe something luxurious, stylish, or expensive.
BOUGIE is probably the most distinctive word here, while FANCY, POSH, and SWANK make the connection easier once you spot the theme.
Green: PARTS OF A MECHANICAL CLOCK
The green group is:
- ESCAPEMENT
- PENDULUM
- RATCHET
- SPRING
These are all associated with the mechanisms used in a mechanical clock.
ESCAPEMENT is the word that may stand out the most. If you’re familiar with how mechanical clocks work, PENDULUM, RATCHET, and SPRING help complete the group.
Blue: FAMOUS DANS
The blue answers are:
- AYKROYD
- LEVY
- RATHER
- SAVAGE
Here’s the trick: they’re all surnames of notable people named Dan.
That gives us Dan Aykroyd, Dan Levy, Dan Rather, and Dan Savage.
Once you notice the first couple of names, this category becomes much easier to spot.
Purple: TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER
The purple group is:
- BORDER
- CLASSY
- FOAMILY
- GENIUS
This is easily the strangest group of the day.
Each word contains a biological taxonomic rank with one additional letter:
- BORDER = ORDER + B
- CLASSY = CLASS + Y
- FOAMILY = FAMILY + O
- GENIUS = GENUS + I
It’s the kind of category that’s difficult to see until you know what the puzzle is asking for.
NYT Connections #1202 Answer Summary
- Yellow: Luxe – BOUGIE, FANCY, POSH, SWANK
- Green: Parts of a mechanical clocks – ESCAPEMENT, PENDULUM, RATCHET, SPRING
- Blue: Famous Dans – AYKROYD, LEVY, RATHER, SAVAGE
- Purple: Taxonomic ranks plus a letter – BORDER, CLASSY, FOAMILY, GENIUS
What Makes Today’s NYT Connections Puzzle Tricky?
The biggest stumbling block is the purple group. GENIUS looks like it should describe a person, while CLASSY and BORDER can easily send you looking for completely different connections.
The blue group can also take some time if you don’t immediately recognize the surnames. Once AYKROYD, LEVY, and RATHER start looking familiar, the connection becomes much more obvious.
A good way to approach today’s grid is to start with the four luxury-related words. After removing that group, the remaining words give you a much smaller pool to work with.
How to Play NYT Connections
NYT Connections gives you 16 words and asks you to divide them into four groups of four.
The catch is that some words can appear to fit multiple categories. That’s why randomly guessing groups can quickly use up your mistakes.
A better approach is to look for the strongest connection first. Once you’ve removed one group, reassess the remaining words rather than sticking with your original assumptions.
NYT Connections September 25, 2026: Final Answers
That’s everything for NYT Connections #1202 on September 25.
Today’s puzzle starts fairly simply with the LUXE category, but the wordplay in the purple group makes the final stretch more challenging. The FAMOUS DANS category is another fun one once the surnames click into place.
Did you manage to solve today’s puzzle without using all your guesses?
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