Need a nudge for the September 4, 2025 NYT Connections puzzle? Game #816 groups its words around Christmas-tree decorations, photo cleanup, French food terms, and things with cells. Start with the spoiler-light hints below, then open the answer sections when you’re ready.
How Connections works
The New York Times Help Center describes Connections as “a word game that challenges players to find themes between words.” Players sort 16 words into four groups of four, with each group sharing a connection and receiving a color. The categories and words are curated by editors using the Oxford Dictionary. The Help Center identifies yellow as the easiest category and purple as the trickiest. Read the official Connections guide.
Hints for game #816
Try to find the four sets before reading the category labels or answers.
- Yellow: Think about decorations you might find on a Christmas tree.
- Green: These are ways to improve a photograph.
- Blue: These are French food words.
- Purple: Each is associated with cells, though not in the same sense.
What are the answers for Thursday, September 4?
This is the Thursday, September 4, 2025 puzzle, game #816. The complete word bank is HONEYCOMB, PAIN, CANDY CANE, AIRBRUSH, ORGANISM, PAMPLEMOUSSE, SOLAR PANEL, ANGEL, FIX, SPREADSHEET, TINSEL, VINAIGRETTE, STRING LIGHTS, TOUCH UP, CORNICHON, and PHOTOSHOP.
Yellow: What you might see on a Christmas tree
- ANGEL
- CANDY CANE
- STRING LIGHTS
- TINSEL
Green: Clean up, as a photograph
- AIRBRUSH
- FIX
- PHOTOSHOP
- TOUCH UP
Blue: French food words
- CORNICHON
- PAIN
- PAMPLEMOUSSE
- VINAIGRETTE
Purple: Things with cells
- HONEYCOMB
- ORGANISM
- SOLAR PANEL
- SPREADSHEET
The purple group uses “cells” across different contexts: a honeycomb has individual compartments, organisms can consist of biological cells, solar panels contain photovoltaic cells, and spreadsheets are divided into cells.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to play and find older puzzles
The New York Times Help Center lists the Games app, NYTimes.com, NYTimes.com/theathletic, and the News app as places to play. It says the daily game releases at midnight in the player’s timezone. The archive is available to All Access and Games subscribers and reaches back to June 12, 2023, according to the Help Center; access terms may change.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
Sources
- TechRadar’s game #816 guide provides the puzzle date, word bank, hints, groupings, and its author’s reported rating of “Hard” and score of “1 mistake.” That score describes the author’s play, not players generally.
- The New York Times Help Center’s Connections page explains the rules, colors, release timing, play platforms, and archive.
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.
