Connections Hint & Answers Sep 4th, 2023
Word List - Sep 4, 2023
Tap words to practice Connections
Connections Hint - Sep 4, 2023
Group Titles - Sep 4, 2023
Connections Answers - Sep 4, 2023
Connections Tips
Identify Common Categories
Look for words that could belong to a shared category, such as:
Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green.
Professions: Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Chef.
Animals: Cat, Dog, Lion, Elephant.
Start with Obvious Groups
If you see words that immediately jump out as belonging together (e.g., months of the year or U.S. states), try grouping those first. This will narrow down the options for more challenging groups.
Check for Double Meanings
Some words can belong to multiple groups. For instance, "Apple" could refer to a fruit or a tech company. Pay attention to words that might fit into more than one category.
Stay Open to Abstract Themes
Be ready for more abstract connections like emotions, actions, or categories like "Things that Fly." This can help with the trickier groups.
Here are the NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, September 4, 2023 (#85) — the 16-word list, one spoiler-safe clue per color group, the group titles, and the full solution. This is the archived puzzle for that day; work the clues in order, or skip to the answers.
Word List - Sep 4, 2023
The 16 words in this puzzle (alphabetical, so the order gives nothing away): BRUSH, CANVAS, COMB, DRIVE, EASEL, FIRST, FOLDING, GEAR, HIGH, LAWN, NEUTRAL, PALETTE, PARK, REVERSE, SAW, ZIPPER.
Read through the list and note any words that obviously cluster. Then use the hints below one group at a time — you rarely need all four.
Connections Hint - Sep 4, 2023
Each clue points at a group's theme without naming the words. They're ordered by the game's own color difficulty (easiest first):
- Yellow: Essential tools for artists
- Green: Shift with precision.
- Blue: Bite-sized surprises await!
- Purple: Mystical Throne Awaiting
| Group | Difficulty | What the clue does |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Easiest | A gentle nudge toward the most straightforward theme. |
| Green | Medium | A step trickier — often a category with a small twist. |
| Blue | Hard | Usually needs a second read; watch for words that look like they belong elsewhere. |
| Purple | Hardest | Almost always wordplay — puns, hidden words, or "___ + word" patterns. |
Group titles
Still stuck after the clues? Here are the four exact categories, without the words sorted into them yet — the last step before the full solution:
- Yellow: PAINTING ACCESSORIES
- Green: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SETTINGS
- Blue: THINGS WITH TEETH
- Purple: ___ CHAIR
Connections Answers - Sep 4, 2023
Want the full grid for that day? Spoiler warning — the full grid for #85 is below:
| Group | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | PAINTING ACCESSORIES | BRUSH, CANVAS, EASEL, PALETTE |
| Green | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SETTINGS | DRIVE, NEUTRAL, PARK, REVERSE |
| Blue | THINGS WITH TEETH | COMB, GEAR, SAW, ZIPPER |
| Purple | ___ CHAIR | FIRST, FOLDING, HIGH, LAWN |
How to use these hints without spoiling the puzzle
The fun of Connections is the "aha," so take the smallest clue that gets you moving and go straight back to the board:
- Start with the group you're stuck on. Read only that one clue, then go straight back to the board — one unlock often cascades into the whole grid.
- Work yellow → purple. The groups are ranked easiest to hardest by color. Clearing the easy ones first strips candidates away from the hard ones automatically.
- Watch for trap words. Most puzzles plant a word that looks like it fits two groups. If a category feels too obvious with five candidates, one of them belongs elsewhere.
- Save the answers for last. The full solution sits at the bottom behind a spoiler warning — you only see it if you choose to.
Connections strategy that actually helps
- Sort before you submit. With four mistakes to spend, don't lock a group until you've mentally placed all 16 words — the last four often reveal a trap in your "easy" group.
- Find the overflow category. When five or six words seem to fit one theme, that theme is the trap. The extras belong to a sneakier group.
- Purple is usually wordplay. If a group resists every literal reading, look for puns, homophones, hidden words, or a shared prefix/suffix.
- Re-read after three groups. Once three are locked, the last four must go together — but confirm the why, since a mis-sorted early group is the most common way a solve collapses.
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times: sort a grid of 16 words into four groups of four that share a hidden thread — from plain categories to sneaky wordplay. You get four mistakes before the puzzle ends, which is why a well-timed hint beats a blind guess. A new puzzle drops every day at midnight local time, and this page updates with fresh hints and answers as soon as it goes live. You can also warm up with the play button on this page, or revisit any past puzzle in the Connections answers archive.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Connections hint for #85?
The hints for Connections #85 are above — one spoiler-safe clue per color group (yellow, green, blue, purple), plus the full 16-word list. Each is tap-to-reveal, so you see only as much as you want.
Do these hints spoil the answer?
No. Each hint is a single nudge per group that never names the category or its words. The full answers stay separate at the bottom behind a spoiler warning.
What are the Connections group colors?
Yellow is the easiest group, then green, blue, and purple (the hardest, usually wordplay). The colors tell you which threads to attempt first.
What are the Connections answers for #85?
The full solution for Connections #85 — all four groups with titles and words — is in the answers section above. Past solutions are in the Connections answers archive.
When does Connections reset?
A new puzzle unlocks every day at midnight local time, and this page refreshes with new hints and answers as soon as it's live.