NYT Connections Hints Today (Sept. 26, #838): All Answers and Group Clues

Looking for help with the NYT Connections puzzle for September 26, 2025? Today’s puzzle (#838) features some playful and tricky word groups. We’ve got the hints and the full set of answers so you can finish strong — or check where you slipped up.

The New York Times Connections game challenges players to sort 16 words into four groups of four by their shared theme. It sounds simple, but the mix of obvious and misleading connections can stump even experienced players. Today’s groups ranged from straightforward kitchen terms to a sneaky “dirty” set.

Hints and Answers for NYT Connections Puzzle #838

Before revealing the solutions, here are the official hints for each color-coded group, ranked from easiest (yellow) to trickiest (purple):

• Yellow group hint: Kitchen task
• Green group hint: Get my glasses
• Blue group hint: Smokey is one
• Purple group hint: Not clean

Ready for the solutions? Here’s how the puzzle breaks down today:

Yellow group – Stir vigorously: beat, cream, whip, whisk

Green group – Hard to make out: dim, faint, light, pale

Blue group – Kinds of bears: black, brown, polar, sun

Purple group – Dirty ____: blonde, pool, rice, word

These groupings show how Connections can mix very different topics — cooking verbs, visual perception, animals, and slang expressions — in a single game.

What This Means for NYT Connections Players

Today’s puzzle started gently with the yellow cooking terms. “Whisk” and “beat” were easy anchors. The green group caused some confusion — “light” and “pale” seemed simple, but “dim” and “faint” fit too. Blue was straightforward for wildlife fans, while purple was the trickiest. “Dirty blonde” and “dirty word” might click fast, but “dirty rice” and “dirty pool” made the group feel less obvious.

This puzzle shows why Connections players should look for common word pairings and idioms, not just straightforward categories. Mixing literal and slang meanings is a favorite Times trick.

Game Trend and Player Reactions

Connections continues to grow its daily player base, with many comparing scores using the Times’ built-in sharing feature. The game’s color-coded difficulty and social share option keep it engaging for puzzle fans. Online communities on social media often debate the hardest group — expect purple’s “dirty” set to trend today.

In short: The NYT Connections hints today helped players spot “stir vigorously” quickly, but the “dirty ____” group was a true late-game challenge. If you struggled with that set, you weren’t alone.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What are the NYT Connections hints today?

Yellow is Kitchen task, Green is Get my glasses, Blue is Smokey is one, Purple is Not clean.

Q2: What are today’s NYT Connections answers?

Yellow: beat, cream, whip, whisk. Green: dim, faint, light, pale. Blue: black, brown, polar, sun. Purple: blonde, pool, rice, word.

Q3: What was the hardest group in Connections #838?

Most players found the Purple group (Dirty ____) hardest. “Dirty rice” and “dirty pool” made it tricky.

Q4: How does the NYT Connections scoring work?

You get a perfect score if you solve without mistakes. The game tracks streaks and win rates for logged-in users.

Q5: Where can I play NYT Connections?

You can play on the New York Times Games website or app. A Times Games subscription gives full access.