NYT Connections Hints #845

NYT Connections Hints #840: Hints, Answers and Tips for 28 Sep 2025

ByAqib Shahzad

The New York Times Connections puzzle has quickly become a daily ritual for word game enthusiasts around the globe. Its unique challenge of finding common threads between seemingly unrelated words can be both deeply satisfying and occasionally maddening. If today’s puzzle, #840 for September 28, 2025, has you scratching your head, you’ve come to the right place.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to solve today’s game. We’ll cover the basic rules, offer some general strategies, provide specific hints for each category, and ultimately reveal the full answers. By the end, you’ll have all the tools to conquer the Connections puzzle and maybe even pick up some tricks for future games.

How to Play NYT Connections

Connections presents you with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to organize these words into four groups of four, based on a shared characteristic. These connections can range from simple categories like “Types of Fish” to more abstract concepts or wordplay.

You select four words and hit “Submit.” If you’re correct, the game will reveal the category and assign it a color. The colors indicate the difficulty of the group:

  • Yellow: The most straightforward and easiest group.
  • Green: The second easiest.
  • Blue: The second hardest.
  • Purple: The most difficult group, often involving wordplay or tricky concepts.

You have four mistakes available. If you make four incorrect guesses before finding all the groups, the game ends and the answers are revealed.

General Strategies for Solving Connections

Before we dive into the specific hints for puzzle #840, let’s go over some strategies that can help you tackle any Connections grid.

  • Look for Red Herrings: The puzzle creators love to include words that could fit into multiple potential categories. For example, if you see several words related to breakfast foods, be cautious. One or two might belong to a completely different, less obvious group. Don’t hit “Submit” until you are confident you have four words that only belong together.
  • Identify the Outliers: Scan the board for words that seem completely out of place. Sometimes, the most unusual word is the key to unlocking the tricky Purple category. If a word’s meaning doesn’t seem to connect with anything else, consider alternative meanings or wordplay associated with it.
  • Say the Words Aloud: This can help you spot phonetic connections or puns that you might miss when just reading them on the screen.
  • Start with What You Know: If you spot a clear group of four, lock it in. Solving one category reduces the number of words on the board, making it easier to see the remaining connections.
  • Step Away: If you’re truly stuck, take a short break. Coming back to the puzzle with fresh eyes can often reveal patterns you didn’t see before.

Hints for NYT Connections #840 (September 28, 2025)

Stuck on today’s puzzle? Here are some clues for each color category to nudge you in the right direction. We’ll start with some general category hints and then provide more specific ones.

Category Hints for Today’s Puzzle

  • Yellow: These words all relate to support or defense.
  • Green: Think about things you definitely don’t want on your computer.
  • Blue: These are all popular brands you might find at a checkout counter.
  • Purple: This one is for the sports fans, specifically American football.

Specific Word Hints for Today’s Puzzle

  • Yellow Group: One of the words is Zeus’s mythical shield.
  • Green Group: One word refers to secretly bypassing security.
  • Blue Group: A type of gum that shares its name with a path around a planet.
  • Purple Group: One of the logos is a symbol associated with New Orleans.

Answers for NYT Connections #840 (September 28, 2025)

If you’ve given it your best shot and are ready for the solution, scroll down to see the answers for today’s Connections puzzle.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Yellow Group: BACKING

  • AEGIS
  • GUARD
  • PROTECTION
  • SHIELD

Green Group: MALICIOUS SOFTWARE

  • BACKDOOR
  • TROJAN HORSE
  • VIRUS
  • WORM

Blue Group: GUM BRANDS

  • EXTRA
  • ICE BREAKERS
  • ORBIT
  • TRIDENT

Purple Group: N.F.L. TEAM LOGOS

  • BUFFALO (Buffalo Bills)
  • FLEUR-DE-LIS (New Orleans Saints)
  • HORSESHOE (Indianapolis Colts)
  • LIGHTNING BOLT (Los Angeles Chargers)

Common Mistakes in Today’s Puzzle

One of the trickiest parts of puzzle #840 was the potential for misdirection. Several words could have fit into a “Greek Mythology” category. For example, AEGIS (Zeus’s shield), TRIDENT (Poseidon’s weapon), TROJAN HORSE, and LIGHTNING BOLT (Zeus’s symbol) might have seemed like a plausible group. However, the puzzle intended for them to be split across different categories, making it a classic red herring.

Another potential pitfall was the word BUFFALO. Without the context of the other NFL logos, it could easily be grouped with other animals if they were present on the board. This highlights the importance of confirming that all four words in a potential group fit the theme perfectly before submitting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NYT Connections Bot?

The New York Times has introduced a Connections Bot, similar to the one for Wordle. After you finish the game, the bot can analyze your performance, give you a numeric score, and break down your guesses. It’s a fun tool for players who enjoy tracking their stats and improving their strategy.

How can I track my Connections stats?

If you have an account with the New York Times Games section, you can now track your progress. This includes your win streak, the total number of puzzles completed, your win rate, and how many times you’ve achieved a perfect score (solving the puzzle with no mistakes).

Where can I find daily hints for Connections?

Many publications, like Forbes and CNET, offer daily hints for the Connections puzzle. Bookmarking a reliable source for your daily NYT game answers can be a great way to get a little help when you’re stuck.

Sharpen Your Skills for the Next Puzzle

Congratulations on tackling Connections #840! Whether you solved it on your own or needed a little help, each puzzle is a new opportunity to sharpen your critical thinking and pattern recognition skills. The key is to think creatively, be wary of obvious traps, and enjoy the process of discovery.

Now that you’ve seen how today’s puzzle works, you’re even better prepared for the next one. Come back tomorrow for another round, and keep honing your skills to become a Connections master.

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