Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsSpoiler warning: The complete solution to NYT Connections puzzle #821 appears below. This edition is for Tuesday, September 9, 2025, and its groups are FINISHED, THINGS WITH SHELLS, SWIG and __DOG.
Hints for Connections #821
Try these category clues before looking at the full board solution:
- Yellow: Words that indicate something has reached its end.
- Green: Natural, edible or candy-coated things protected by a shell.
- Blue: Different ways to drink, ranging from a belt to a gulp, shot or slug.
- Purple: Add the same word after each entry to form familiar phrases or types of dog.
What are the Connections #821 answers?
The 16-word board divides into these four groups:
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | FINISHED | COMPLETE, DONE, OVER, THROUGH |
| Green | THINGS WITH SHELLS | EGG, HARD TACO, M&M, SNAIL |
| Blue | SWIG | BELT, GULP, SHOT, SLUG |
| Purple | __DOG | BULL, LAP, UNDER, WATCH |
Why each group works
Yellow: FINISHED
COMPLETE, DONE, OVER and THROUGH can all describe something that has ended or been brought to completion.
Green: THINGS WITH SHELLS
An EGG and a SNAIL have natural shells. A HARD TACO has a crisp shell, while an M&M has a candy coating that functions as an outer shell.
#1 Best Overall
Blue: SWIG
BELT, GULP, SHOT and SLUG can each refer to a drink or a way of taking one. “Belt” and “slug” are especially useful decoys because they also have unrelated everyday meanings.
Purple: __DOG
Put DOG after each word: bulldog, lapdog, underdog and watchdog. This word-combination mechanic makes the purple group the most indirect set on the board.
The complete Connections #821 board
The words presented in the puzzle were:
SLUG, EGG, COMPLETE, BULL, LAP, SNAIL, WATCH, BELT, OVER, UNDER, THROUGH, HARD TACO, DONE, GULP, M&M, SHOT.
Connections gives players 16 words and asks them to make four groups of four. The groups are color-coded by difficulty, with purple generally the hardest. In this puzzle, the strongest traps are the overlapping meanings of “slug,” “belt” and “shot,” plus the less literal shell idea applied to an M&M.
Rank #3
Where to play Connections
NYT Connections is available through the NYT Games site. Players who prefer offline solving can also use The New York Times Games Connections puzzle book, a publisher-backed collection built around the same style of grouping challenge.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
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