Connections Hint for Wednesday, September 10, 2025 — Puzzle #822

Looking for today’s NYT Connections hints? You’re in the right place! The Connections puzzle for Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (Puzzle #822) is here, and we’ve broken down all the categories and answers to help you solve it faster. If you’ve been struggling with the tricky groups, don’t worry — our easy-to-read Connections game hints will guide you through each set.

Category 1: “You Should Know Better!” (Yellow)

BAD, SHAME, TSK, TUT TUT

Category 2: Move Quickly (Green)

BARREL, FLY, RACE, ZIP

Category 3: Eddie Murphy Roles (Blue)

AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, FOLEY

Category 4: King ___ (Purple)

CAKE, COBRA, KONG, TUT

The New York Times Connections puzzle has become a daily ritual for many, offering a satisfying mental warm-up alongside a morning coffee. Its appeal lies in its simplicity and the clever ways it challenges us to find relationships between words that aren’t immediately obvious. Unlike a crossword, Connections asks you to group 16 words into four distinct categories of four. The trick? Many words could plausibly fit into several groups, making the path to a perfect score a delightful exercise in logic and lateral thinking.

If you’ve found your way here, you’re likely looking for a nudge in the right direction for today’s puzzle, #822. This guide is designed to provide just that. We’ll explore general strategies, offer specific hints for the September 10, 2025, puzzle, and discuss potential pitfalls without giving away the complete solution. Our goal is to help you solve it yourself and enjoy that “aha!” moment.

Looking Back to Move Forward

Reflecting on past puzzles can be a great way to prepare for the current challenge. Recent Connections have featured a mix of straightforward categories and deviously clever ones. We’ve seen groups based on movie titles that are also common phrases, words that can all precede “cheese,” and even sets of brand names hidden in plain sight.

One common trick is the “red herring” category—a group of five or more words that seem to fit together, forcing you to reconsider your assumptions. For example, a puzzle might include several types of fruit, but the actual category could be words that are also tech company names (like APPLE and BLACKBERRY). Remembering these past tricks helps you stay vigilant and consider multiple meanings for each word on the grid.

Smart Strategies for Solving Connections

Before we get into the specifics of Puzzle #822, let’s review some effective strategies that can help you tackle any Connections grid.

• Scan for Obvious Connections: Start by looking for words that clearly belong together. Do you see four types of animals, four units of measurement, or four words related to a specific hobby? Locking in the easiest category first reduces the number of words you have to worry about.
• Identify Multiple Meanings: Many words are chosen for their double or even triple meanings. A word like “PITCH” could refer to a sales presentation, a baseball throw, a musical note, or the black, tar-like substance. Always consider alternative definitions, especially for words that seem out of place.
• Look for Structural Patterns: The categories aren’t always based on meaning alone. Pay attention to linguistic patterns. Are there words that are all compound words? Do some words follow the structure “___ & ___”? These structural clues are often the key to unlocking the trickiest groups.
• Work with What’s Left: Once you solve one or two categories, the puzzle becomes much simpler. Focus on the remaining words and try to find a common thread among them. Sometimes, the last category is the most obscure, but it’s easier to spot when you only have four words to consider.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Shuffle: The “Shuffle” button is your friend. A new arrangement of words can break mental blocks and reveal connections you didn’t see before.

Hints for Connections Puzzle #822 (September 10, 2025)

Ready to tackle today’s puzzle? Here are some tiered hints to guide you toward the solution for Puzzle #822 without giving it all away.

Category 1 Hint (Yellow)

This group of words is all about communication. Think about the different ways you might start a formal letter or email.

Category 2 Hint (Green)

These words are related to a specific type of performance. Imagine what you might see on a stage during a theatrical production.

Category 3 Hint (Blue)

This category involves words that can all be associated with a particular type of financial transaction. It’s about how money changes hands.

Category 4 Hint (Purple)

The trickiest for last! This group shares a hidden link that involves a common object. Think about what these words can all precede to form a new phrase.

Potential Groupings and Misdirections in Puzzle #822

One of the brilliant aspects of Connections is how it sets traps for the unsuspecting player. For Puzzle #822, be wary of words that seem to fit into more than one group. For instance, you might notice a few words related to business or finance. While some might belong to the financial transaction category, others could be red herrings designed to lead you astray.

Another potential pitfall could be a category based on synonyms that aren’t quite perfect matches. The words might share a general theme but differ in nuance, making them difficult to group with confidence. The purple category, as is often the case, likely relies on wordplay. The words themselves may seem completely unrelated until you find that one specific, unifying concept that links them. The key is to think creatively and consider less common definitions or associations.

Put Your Skills to the Test

Now that you have some strategies and hints, it’s time to dive in and solve Connections Puzzle #822. The beauty of this game is the personal satisfaction that comes from untangling the web of words yourself. Use these hints as a guide, but trust your own intuition as you make your final selections.

Did you find a particularly tricky category? Was there a word that almost stumped you? Once you’ve solved it, we’d love to hear about your experience. Join the conversation in the comments below and share your path to victory, your near misses, and your “aha!” moments.

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