NYT Connections Hints #828: Hints, Answers and Tips for September 16

Looking for help with today’s NYT Connections puzzle? You’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re stuck on a tricky category or just want to check your answers, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Connections #828.

The September 16 puzzle presents a balanced medium-difficulty challenge that combines straightforward categories with some trickier connections. Let’s dive into the hints, strategies, and complete solutions to help you maintain that winning streak.

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle game published by The New York Times. Players receive 16 words arranged in a grid and must organize them into four groups of four words each. Each group shares a common theme or connection that players must discover.

The game allows four incorrect guesses before ending. Categories are color-coded by difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green (easy), Blue (medium), and Purple (hardest). Success requires careful analysis, strategic thinking, and sometimes a bit of cultural knowledge.

Today’s Puzzle Overview

Puzzle Number: #828
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Difficulty: Medium

Complete Word List

Here are all 16 words from today’s Connections puzzle:

• ROGER
• PEN
• ROSE
• MONTH
• SQUID
• PRINTER
• DONUT
• MONITOR
• JUROR
• WATCH
• TATTOO MACHINE
• TRIX
• FOLLOW
• WHITE
• VELVETEEN
• TRACK

General Hints for Today’s Puzzle

Before we reveal specific category hints, here are some general tips to get you started:

• Look for obvious connections first, particularly in surveillance-related activities
• Consider items that come in specific quantities
• Think about things that share a common material or substance
• Remember that pop culture references often appear in the Purple category
• Pay attention to words that could precede or follow other words

Category-Specific Hints

Yellow Category Hints 🟨

Theme Clue: Activities involving observation or supervision
Additional Hint: Think about what detectives, parents, or security personnel might do
Difficulty: These are all action words related to keeping an eye on someone or something

Green Category Hints 🟩

Theme Clue: Items often found or sold in groups of twelve
Additional Hint: Consider common packaging quantities and traditional groupings
Difficulty: The connection relates to a specific number that might not be immediately obvious

Blue Category Hints 🟦

Theme Clue: Items that share a common element related to writing or drawing
Additional Hint: Think about what newspapers and octopi have in common
Difficulty: Focus on a specific substance these items contain or produce

Purple Category Hints 🟪

Theme Clue: Words associated with well-known fictional rabbits
Additional Hint: These words can each precede “rabbit” to form famous character names
Difficulty: Requires knowledge of pop culture and children’s literature

One Word from Each Category

Need just a little more help? Here’s one answer from each group:

• Yellow: TRACK
• Green: JUROR
• Blue: PRINTER
• Purple: WHITE

Complete Category Names

Ready for the category titles? Here they are:

• Yellow: Keep tabs on
• Green: One in a dozen
• Blue: Things with ink
• Purple: _____ rabbit

Complete Answers and Explanations

Yellow Category: Keep tabs on 🟨

Words: FOLLOW, MONITOR, TRACK, WATCH

Explanation: These words all relate to surveillance or observation activities. Whether you’re following someone’s movements, monitoring their behavior, tracking their location, or watching their actions, each term describes a way of keeping tabs on someone or something.

Green Category: One in a dozen 🟩

Words: DONUT, JUROR, MONTH, ROSE

Explanation: Each of these items typically comes in groups of twelve. Donuts are often sold by the dozen, juries consist of twelve members, there are twelve months in a year, and roses are frequently arranged in dozens for bouquets.

Blue Category: Things with ink 🟦

Words: PEN, PRINTER, SQUID, TATTOO MACHINE

Explanation: All these items either contain ink or use ink in their operation. Pens write with ink, printers use ink cartridges, squids produce ink as a defense mechanism, and tattoo machines inject ink into skin to create permanent designs.

Purple Category: _____ rabbit 🟪

Words: ROGER, TRIX, VELVETEEN, WHITE

Explanation: Each word can precede “rabbit” to create famous fictional characters: Roger Rabbit (from the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”), Trix Rabbit (the cereal mascot), Velveteen Rabbit (from the classic children’s book), and White Rabbit (from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”).

Difficulty Analysis

Connections #828 earns its medium difficulty rating through a clever balance of accessible and challenging categories:

Easier Elements:

• The Yellow category offers straightforward synonyms for surveillance activities
• Blue category connections become clearer once you identify the ink theme

Challenging Elements:

• Green category requires recognizing the “dozen” connection, which isn’t immediately obvious
• Purple category demands knowledge of pop culture and literature references
• Several words could potentially fit multiple categories, creating red herrings

The puzzle’s difficulty lies primarily in the Green and Purple categories. The “one in a dozen” theme requires players to think about quantities and groupings, while the rabbit category needs familiarity with various fictional characters from different media.

Winning Tips and Strategies

Start with Obvious Connections

Begin by identifying the most apparent groupings. Words like FOLLOW, MONITOR, TRACK, and WATCH clearly relate to surveillance activities, making them strong candidates for the Yellow category.

Use Process of Elimination

Once you’ve identified one or two categories, use the remaining words to narrow down possibilities for the others. This approach helps eliminate red herrings and focuses your thinking.

Consider Different Word Associations

Don’t limit yourself to synonyms. Think about:

• Words that can combine with others (like “_____ rabbit”)
• Items with shared physical properties (like containing ink)
• Things grouped by quantity or tradition

Look for Cultural References

Purple categories often involve pop culture, literature, or wordplay. If you spot words that seem to reference characters, movies, or books, explore that connection further.

Take Breaks When Stuck

Sometimes stepping away briefly can provide fresh perspective on difficult connections. This strategy proves particularly helpful with tricky categories like today’s Green group.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle where you must group 16 words into four categories based on shared themes or associations.

How do I play NYT Connections?

Select four words that you believe share a common connection and submit your guess. You have four attempts to correctly identify all four categories.

What happens if I make a mistake?

Each incorrect guess counts as an error. If you accumulate four errors, the puzzle is considered lost.

Can I get hints for NYT Connections?

Yes, you can find general and category-specific hints in our guide to help you solve the puzzle.

Where can I play NYT Connections?

You can play NYT Connections on the New York Times Games website or app.

What are some strategies for solving Connections puzzles?

Start by identifying obvious connections, look for common themes, and consider different associations between words. Use the process of elimination to narrow down possibilities.

How often is a new Connections puzzle released?

A new Connections puzzle is released daily.

What makes Connections #828 a medium difficulty puzzle?

Puzzle #828 combines straightforward categories with more obscure connections, requiring careful consideration and a broad understanding of word associations.

Why are the categories color-coded in Connections?

The color-coding indicates the difficulty level of the categories, with Yellow being the easiest and Purple being the most challenging.

What is the best way to approach a difficult Connections puzzle?

Take a break if you’re stuck, review the words from a fresh perspective, and consider less obvious connections. Use hints sparingly to challenge yourself while still making progress.

Ready to Tackle Tomorrow’s Puzzle?

Connections #828 demonstrates why this puzzle game has captured so many players’ attention. The combination of straightforward surveillance terms, the clever “dozen” grouping, ink-related items, and fictional rabbit references creates a satisfying challenge that rewards both logical thinking and cultural knowledge.

Remember that each day brings a new puzzle with fresh challenges. Whether you solved today’s puzzle easily or found it particularly tricky, tomorrow offers another opportunity to test your word association skills.

Keep practicing these strategies, stay curious about different types of connections, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. The more you play, the better you’ll become at recognizing the patterns and themes that make Connections such an engaging daily challenge.

Did you manage to solve today’s puzzle? Share your experience and let us know which category gave you the most trouble. For more hints and solutions, check out our guide to NYT Connections Hints and Answers for #827 for yesterday’s puzzle.