Connections Hints

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — September 14, 2025

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Show the word gridAll 16 words — you figure out the groups
Show the themesCategory names only, no words revealed
One word per groupTheme name + one word per category
Full solutionAll words and explanations
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Word grid

All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.

BEAT
BEST
BETTER
COMPASS
DOOR
DOWNING
FLEET
GATE
HATCH
INSET
KEY
MAIN
PORTAL
SCALE
TOP
WALL
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Themes

The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.

ENTRYWAYStraightforward
MAP FEATURESModerate
SURPASSTricky
STREETS WITH SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCEDevious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

ENTRYWAYStraightforward
WAYS TO ENTER A SPACE OR PASSAGE THROUGH A BARRIER+ 3 more…
MAP FEATURESModerate
THINGS YOU'D FIND PRINTED ON A MAP TO HELP YOU READ IT+ 3 more…
SURPASSTricky
TO OUTDO OR OUTPERFORM SOMEONE+ 3 more…
STREETS WITH SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCEDevious
FAMOUS STREETS WHOSE NAMES EVOKE POWER, MEDIA, FINANCE, OR EVERYDAY LIFE+ 3 more…
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Full solution
ENTRYWAYStraightforward
DOOR,GATE,HATCH,PORTAL

DOOR, GATE, HATCH, and PORTAL are all types of entryways or openings that allow passage from one space to another.

MAP FEATURESModerate
COMPASS,INSET,KEY,SCALE

COMPASS (rose showing direction), INSET (a smaller embedded map), KEY (legend explaining symbols), and SCALE (showing distance ratios) are all standard features found on maps.

SURPASSTricky
BEAT,BEST,BETTER,TOP

BEAT, BEST, BETTER, and TOP all mean to surpass or outperform someone or something.

STREETS WITH SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCEDevious
DOWNING,FLEET,MAIN,WALL

DOWNING (Street, UK Prime Minister's residence), FLEET (Street, historic center of British press), MAIN (Street, symbol of small-town America), and WALL (Street, symbol of American finance) are all streets with deep symbolic importance.

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