Connections answers and hints for today, September 28

Ever had one of those sleepy-eyed mornings where your brain don’t even know what it’s doin’, but your heart knows exactly what it wants? That was me, Wednesday, September 24, coffee mug half full (or half empty, depending on how the first guess goes), and the New York Times’ Connections puzzle staring back at me like, “Are you even awake enough for this today?”

But oh, there’s a charm to it. Something a bit magical, like the moment a child first whispers a word, or like unwrapping a birthday gift before the candles are lit.

If you’re here because today is September 28 and you’re trying to wrangle those sneaky little words into neat, satisfying thematic groupings, welcome. This ain’t just about hints and answers. This is about connection—the kind that hits you right in the frontal lobe and stays for tea.

So let’s dive in. But not the boring way. Nah. We’re taking the scenic route—with quirks, giggles, brain fog, cultural nods, and a little side of humanity, because hey… it’s more than just a daily puzzle.

Table of Contents

What is the NYT ‘Connections’ Game, Anyway?

Let’s not assume we’re all daily subscribers to the New York Times or masters of the mind palace. Maybe you’ve only just stumbled across this colorful grid that looks like it was made by a design intern who spilled Skittles across your screen.

Connections is a word game—yes, kinda like Wordle, but also nothing like Wordle. In it, you’re presented with 16 words, and your job is to group them into 4 sets of 4 based on shared characteristics. Sounds easy? Hah! The devil’s in the semantic categorization.

It’s not just about finding synonyms. It’s about word association, theme recognition, and sometimes deciphering deceptive groupings meant to trick your ever-so-squishy human brain. Whether it’s spotting movie titles or identifying wrinkly things (which yes, was an actual category), it’s a daily ritual for many, like brushing teeth or doomscrolling Taboola headlines about Piers Morgan and Jimmy Kimmel.

Today’s Puzzle: Connections #836 (September 28)

Before we drop the full Connections answers, let’s start with some hints. Think of this like a breadcrumb trail left by a mischievous crossword elf.

🟡 Yellow Group: Lights, Camera, Confusion! (Cinema/Movies)

The group that glitters like a flickering marquee on a rainy night—this one’s about movies. Or cinema. Or something you watched once at 2am when you couldn’t sleep ‘cause your brain was buzzing like a Brian Wilson guitar riff.

Words: Feature, Film, Flick, Picture
Hint: All terms that might mean “a movie,” but each with their own vibe. “Flick” has popcorn grease on it. “Feature” sounds classy. “Picture”? That’s old-school talkin’.

🟢 Green Group: Throw it, Sprinkle it, Scatter like leaves

These words all share the airy, chaotic charm of toddlers in a sandbox. They suggest movement—a tossing, flinging, strew-like scatter of stuff.

Words: Litter, Pepper, Scatter, Sprinkle
Hint: Think of fairy dust. Or maybe what happens when you tell a 4-year-old to decorate a cupcake without supervision.

🔵 Blue Group: Wrinkly Wonders

Ah yes. Wrinkles. But not your usual anti-aging ad suspects. These are wrinkly things you wouldn’t immediately think of.

Words: Prune, Brain, Shar Pei, Crepe Paper
Hint: Each of these is delightfully textured. One smells weird. One thinks weird. One barks. One decorates school walls during weirdly-themed bake sales.

🟣 Purple Group: Sweet ______

The trickiest one, perhaps. A classic Connections game group where a single word—“Sweet”—leads you to multiple possibilities.

Words: Potato, Sixteen, Talk, Tooth
Hint: Fill in the blank: Sweet _____? You might find a birthday, a craving, and a flirty chat all sitting next to each other.

A Peek Behind the Puzzle Curtain: Why This Game Taps Our Brains

What makes Connections feel like such a satisfying brain-itch scratcher?

It’s the dance between abstract thinking and literal meanings. You have to think outside the box, and sometimes inside it too—simultaneously. It challenges pattern recognition and forces us to navigate tricky word association puzzles with the logic of a linguist and the gut instinct of a poet.

In fact, these kinds of puzzles are rooted in cognitive challenge exercises, often used in language therapy or creative writing warmups. According to Dr. Elaine Wethers of the Linguistic Cognition Lab in Montreal, “Lexical puzzles like this stimulate lateral thinking—the same kind that poets, novelists, and even stand-up comedians rely on.”

Funny Thing Happened in Mumbai Over a Word Game…

Last Diwali, in a suburb of Mumbai, an auntie group went viral for misreading a puzzle in Connections. The group “Sweet Tooth” had them convinced the answer was an Indian dish named “tooth curry” (which doesn’t exist—yet). What followed was a flood of memes, a 3-minute spot on War Thunder’s gaming podcast, and even a shoutout from John Cleese, who called the moment “deliciously absurd.”

Moral of the story? The joy of this game isn’t just solving it—it’s in the conversations, confusions, and cross-cultural chaos it inspires.

How to Play ‘Connections’ Like a Pro Without Turning into a Word Zombie

If today’s puzzle made you want to scream into a pillow shaped like a Shar Pei, you’re not alone. But here’s how to do better tomorrow:

Look for outliers first: Pick out the most unusual or specific word. It’s often the anchor.
Group words by vibes: Not everything is academic. Sometimes “flick” just feels like “film.”
Beware of red herrings: The game is crafted to trick. If four words look too obvious, triple check.
Know your idioms: “Sweet Talk” won’t make literal sense until you say it aloud.
Take breaks: Walk away and come back. Even Jimmy Kimmel needs a breather.

Beyond the Grid: What This Puzzle Says About You

You ever think about how your puzzle path reflects your personality?

Do you see patterns first? Or do you go gut-first and fix logic later? Some people lock onto literal vs. abstract meanings, while others navigate with sheer wordplay intuition. These micro-moments of decision-making can tell you a lot about how your brain prioritizes info, just like playing Wordle, Framed, or Globle.

So yeah—it’s a game. But also, it’s a mirror. A daily one.

Thoughtful Reflections: Why ‘Connections’ Feels… Emotional?

Okay, let’s get weird for a sec. Some of us cry over puzzles. Not because it’s hard, but because it’s clever. Because it reminds us that language is alive.

To group “Brain” and “Shar Pei” as wrinkly things? That’s wit. That’s beauty. It’s like reading a haiku backwards. It stirs something simple and profound in us—the human need to order chaos and make meaning out of madness.

How to Make the Puzzle More Personal (Without Making It Weird)

Want to level-up your Connections rituals? Here are a few ideas:

Play with a friend: Like, an actual person. Yes, that still exists.
Create your own puzzle: Send it in your family WhatsApp group. Watch chaos unfold.
Use it in classrooms: Great for ESL or vocabulary development.
Write your own category: “Things you shouldn’t microwave” or “Words that sound like sneezes.”
Journal the journey: What did today’s puzzle teach you? How did your mind change mid-solve?

A Closing Thought

Every day, millions of people wake up and open the same page on the New York Times site—not for headlines, not for finance tips, not even for Taboola’s listicles about Piers Morgan’s 2009 opinions.

They’re there for a puzzle. A silly, sharp, deceptively small puzzle that does something big. It connects.

So whether you’re solving for fun, stress relief, or to outwit your ex in your mutual Wordle score war—take a moment to thank the words. And thank your brain, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

connections hint today

Today’s Connections puzzle involves identifying word groupings related to cinema, spreading actions, wrinkled items, and the phrase “sweet ___”.

connections hints

Look for subtle connections—words may fit categories like movies, actions, or descriptive traits rather than literal meanings.

today’s connections

Today’s puzzle features four themes: Movie, Strew, Wrinkly Things, and Sweet ___.