Hints For Today
#809

NYT Connections Hints & Answers - #809 (Aug 28, 2025)

Your second brain to mastering the NYT Connections puzzle with progressive hints, expert strategies, and complete solutions. Learn to solve like a pro.

Explanations & Common Pitfalls
Progressive Hint System
Expert Strategies Included

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CYBERSPACE
KETTLE
ROCK
SNARE
STEEL
MAKESHIFT
WEB
WATER
ICECAPS
NET
CUP
DIAMOND
TANGLE
TEABAG
CANTAB
NAILS
Connections Credit: New York Times

Progressive Hints for Connections #809 (August 28, 2025)

Get the level of help you need. Start with gentle nudges and reveal stronger hints as needed. Learn to solve puzzles, don't just get answers.

🟡 Yellow Group
Easy
Main Hint: NET
💡Gentle Hint
Think about net and how it relates to everyday objects or situations.

Show Stronger Hint

These words are all connected by the idea of places to get trapped.

Show Direct Guidance

All of these words are direct examples of places to get trapped.
🟢 Green Group
Medium
Main Hint: KETTLE
💡Gentle Hint
Think about kettle and how it relates to everyday objects or situations.

Show Stronger Hint

These words are all connected by the idea of used for tea.

Show Direct Guidance

All of these words are direct examples of used for tea.
🔵 Blue Group
Hard
Main Hint: DIAMOND
💡Gentle Hint
Think about diamond and how it relates to everyday objects or situations.

Show Stronger Hint

These words are all connected by the idea of associated with hardness.

Show Direct Guidance

All of these words are direct examples of associated with hardness.
🟣 Purple Group
Tricky
Main Hint: CANTAB
💡Gentle Hint
Think about cantab and how it relates to everyday objects or situations.

Show Stronger Hint

These words are all connected by the idea of ending with keyboard keys.

Show Direct Guidance

All of these words are direct examples of ending with keyboard keys.

Complete Answers & Explanations

Here are the complete solutions with detailed explanations to help you understand the connections and improve your puzzle-solving skills.

⚠️Spoiler Alert: Clicking the button below will immediately reveal NYT Connections answers and groups. Only proceed if you've finished solving with the hints above.

👉 Click To Reveal Answers For #809

🟡 Yellow Group
PLACES TO GET TRAPPED
NET
SNARE
TANGLE
WEB
💡Explanation
These words (NET,SNARE,TANGLE,WEB) are grouped together because they all relate to places to get trapped.
❗Common Pitfalls

A common pitfall might be thinking that NET,SNARE,TANGLE,WEB is only related to one specific thing.

🧠 Strategic Insight

To solve this puzzle, it's helpful to think about the core concept of places to get trapped.

🟢 Green Group
USED FOR TEA
CUP
KETTLE
TEABAG
WATER
💡Explanation
These words (CUP, KETTLE, TEABAG, WATER) are grouped together because they all relate to used for tea.
❗Common Pitfalls

A common pitfall might be thinking that CUP is only related to one specific thing.

🧠 Strategic Insight

To solve this puzzle, it's helpful to think about the core concept of used for tea.

🔵 Blue Group
ASSOCIATED WITH HARDNESS
DIAMOND
NAILS
ROCK
STEEL
💡Explanation
These words (DIAMOND, NAILS, ROCK, STEEL) are grouped together because they all relate to associated with hardness.
❗Common Pitfalls

A common pitfall might be thinking that DIAMOND is only related to one specific thing.

🧠 Strategic Insight

To solve this puzzle, it's helpful to think about the core concept of associated with hardness.

🟣 Purple Group
ENDING WITH KEYBOARD KEYS
CANTAB
CYBERSPACE
ICECAPS
MAKESHIFT
💡Explanation
These words (CANTAB, CYBERSPACE, ICECAPS, MAKESHIFT) are grouped together because they all relate to ending with keyboard keys.
❗Common Pitfalls

A common pitfall might be thinking that CANTAB is only related to one specific thing.

🧠 Strategic Insight

To solve this puzzle, it's helpful to think about the core concept of ending with keyboard keys.

How to Play NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is a fun word puzzle where you find hidden patterns between words. Here's how to play in simple steps:

Step 1: Look at the 16 words

You'll see a grid with 16 words. These can be anything - objects, actions, concepts, or even names. Example below:
How to play nyt connections example

Step 2: Find groups of 4 words that share a connection

Look for words that belong together. The connection could be:
- Same category (like types of fruit)
- Common theme (like things related to space)
- Wordplay (like phrases that include "cold")
In our example, you might group:
🟨 FRUITS: APPLE, BANANA, ORANGE, GRAPE
🟩 VEGETABLES: CARROT, POTATO, TOMATO, LETTUCE
🟦 FLOWERS: ROSE, TULIP, DAISY, LILY
🟪 PETS: DOG, CAT, BIRD, FISH

Step 3: Select your group and submit

Click or tap on 4 words that you think belong together, then submit your guess. If correct, the words will be removed from the grid and grouped by color. If wrong, you'll get one strike.

Step 4: Find all 4 groups to win!

You have 4 strikes before the game ends. The groups have different difficulty levels:
🟨 Yellow (easiest)
🟩 Green (medium)
🟦 Blue (hard)
🟪 Purple (hardest)
Pro Tip: Some connections are tricky! Words might have multiple meanings. For example, "BATTERY" could be part of a group about electronics or about baseball. Think about different ways words can be connected!

Expert Solving Strategies

Learn how to improve your future NYT Connections solving skills

Start with Yellow


The yellow group is usually the most straightforward. Solve it first to build confidence.

Watch for Bait Words


Some words might fit multiple categories. Look for the most specific connection to crack a group.

Use the 3+1 Method


If you're confident about 3 words in a group, the 4th is likely correct too. Tested countless times.

The History of NYT Connections

NYT Connections is one of the newest additions to The New York Times' puzzle collection. Here's how it came to be:

June 12, 2023

Official Launch - NYT Connections was released to the public as the newest puzzle from The New York Times.

Creator: Wyna Liu

The Puzzle Mastermind - The game was created by Wyna Liu, a puzzle editor at The New York Times who specializes in crafting engaging word challenges.

Post-Wordle Era

Expanding the Puzzle Universe - Following the massive success of Wordle (acquired by NYT in 2022), Connections was part of The Times' strategy to offer more diverse daily puzzles.

Unique Niche

Filling a Gap - Unlike Wordle (single word guessing) or Crossword (broad knowledge), Connections specifically tests pattern recognition and word association skills.

Growing Popularity

Cult Following - The game quickly developed a dedicated fanbase who love its balance of accessibility and challenge, plus those satisfying "aha!" moments when discovering connections.

Ongoing Evolution

Constant Innovation - Liu and her team continue to refine the puzzle, introducing new types of connections and adjusting difficulty to keep the game fresh and engaging.

⚠️Hintsfor.today is an independent website and is not affiliated with The New York Times Company. Connections® is a registered trademark of The New York Times Company. All game materials and content are the property of The New York Times and are used for informational and educational purposes under the principles of fair use.

FAQ

How do NYT Connections hints work?

Our NYT Connections hints guide you toward the answer without giving it away. We provide clues for each color group, starting with a general category hint and then offering more specific suggestions, allowing you to solve the puzzle with just the right amount of help.

What makes your hints spoiler-free?

Our hints are designed to be spoiler-free by revealing information in stages. You only see the clues you choose to, ensuring the final answers remain hidden until you're ready to solve the group yourself or decide to see the solution.

When are daily hints updated?

The hints for NYT Connections, are updated every day shortly after the new connection is released, more presicely at 12 Midnight ( GMT-4). You can count on fresh, timely clues each morning to help you solve the latest challenge.

Who writes the tips on Hints for Today?

Our tips and hints are crafted by a team of puzzle enthusiasts and life-hack experts. We are passionate about problem-solving and dedicated to providing clear, effective, and trustworthy advice every day.
© 2025 Hints For Today. All rights reserved. Not affiliated with The New York Times.
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