Recommended Free Tools
Spoiler warning: The hints below begin gently, but the complete answers for NYT Connections puzzle #836 appear after a clearly marked spoiler break.
NYT Connections #836 was published on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Use the staged clues to solve it yourself, or jump to the answer key if you are stuck.
Hints for Connections #836
Yellow hint
The cinema experience.
Spoiler break: The next clue gives the category direction.
Green hint
Tossed asunder.
Spoiler break: The next clue is much closer to the category label.
Blue hint
All highly creased.
Spoiler break: The final hint points to a familiar phrase pattern.
Purple hint
Complete the phrase with “sweet.”
Spoiler: the four answers
| Group | Words | Why they belong |
|---|---|---|
| YELLOW — MOVIE | FEATURE, FILM, FLICK, PICTURE | Each word can mean a motion picture or movie feature. |
| GREEN — STREW | LITTER, PEPPER, SCATTER, SPRINKLE | Each describes spreading or dispersing something. |
| BLUE — WRINKLY THINGS | BRAIN, CREPE PAPER, PRUNE, SHAR PEI | These are a folded brain, crepe paper, a wrinkled prune and the wrinkled dog breed. The tile is written “SHAR PEI”; the breed is also commonly styled “Shar-Pei.” |
| PURPLE — SWEET ____ | POTATO, SIXTEEN, TALK, TOOTH | The familiar expressions are sweet potato, sweet sixteen, sweet talk and sweet tooth. |
How NYT Connections works
The New York Times Help Center describes Connections as a game where “Players are given 16 words and must find groups of four items that share something in common.” The puzzle’s editors curate words and categories using the Oxford Dictionary.
Rank #2
The daily game releases at midnight in the player’s timezone. The Connections archive is available to subscribers, with archived puzzles listed as far back as June 12, 2023 on the Help Center page.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
