Connections Hints
Friday, September 26, 2025
Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — September 26, 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
BLACK
BLONDE
BROWN
CREAM
DIM
FAINT
LIGHT
PALE
POLAR
POOL
RICE
SUN
WHIP
WHISK
WORD
Themes
The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.
STIR VIGOROUSLYStraightforward
HARD TO MAKE OUTModerate
KINDS OF BEARSTricky
DIRTY ___Devious
One word per group
Theme name plus one word from each category.
STIR VIGOROUSLYStraightforward
WHAT A BAKER DOES TO EGGS OR BUTTER IN THE KITCHEN+ 3 more…
HARD TO MAKE OUTModerate
THESE WORDS ALL DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE OR PERCEIVE CLEARLY+ 3 more…
KINDS OF BEARSTricky
EACH OF THESE CAN PRECEDE THE WORD 'BEAR' TO NAME A REAL SPECIES+ 3 more…
DIRTY ___Devious
EACH OF THESE WORDS CAN FOLLOW 'DIRTY' TO MAKE A COMMON PHRASE+ 3 more…
Full solution
STIR VIGOROUSLYStraightforward
BEAT,CREAM,WHIP,WHISK
BEAT, CREAM, WHIP, and WHISK are all cooking verbs meaning to stir or mix an ingredient vigorously.
HARD TO MAKE OUTModerate
DIM,FAINT,LIGHT,PALE
DIM, FAINT, LIGHT, and PALE all describe something lacking in intensity or clarity, making it hard to make out.
KINDS OF BEARSTricky
BLACK,BROWN,POLAR,SUN
BLACK bear, BROWN bear, POLAR bear, and SUN bear are all real species of bears found around the world.
DIRTY ___Devious
BLONDE,POOL,RICE,WORD
DIRTY BLONDE (hair color), DIRTY POOL (unfair tactics), DIRTY RICE (Cajun dish), and DIRTY WORD (a profanity or taboo term) are all common 'dirty ___' phrases.