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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11NYT Connections for Tuesday, September 9, 2025, is puzzle #821. Need a nudge first? The clues below reveal one category at a time; the full groupings are farther down.
Hints for Connections #821
Try each clue before moving to the next. The category labels and answers follow in the next section.
- Yellow: These words mean something has reached its end.
- Green: Think of a protective outer covering.
- Blue: These words can describe taking or drinking something quickly.
- Purple: Put the same word after each entry to make a familiar compound word.
Connections #821 answers for September 9, 2025
The four categories are FINISHED, THINGS WITH SHELLS, SWIG, and ___DOG.
| 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 the trickiest words fit
THROUGH means finished
COMPLETE, DONE, OVER, and THROUGH can all describe something that has ended or reached its conclusion.
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The shell group covers different kinds of shells
An EGG has an outer shell, a HARD TACO has a crisp shell, an M&M has a candy shell, and a SNAIL carries a shell. The connection is broad rather than limited to one material.
BELT and SLUG are informal drink-related terms
GULP and SHOT are more direct clues to drinking. BELT can mean to drink quickly, while SLUG can refer to a quantity of alcohol consumed.
Each purple word comes before DOG
Adding DOG after the four entries makes BULLDOG, LAPDOG, UNDERDOG, and WATCHDOG.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Connections works and where to play
Connections presents 16 words for sorting into four groups of four. The groups are color-coded yellow, green, blue, and purple; the New York Times Help Center describes yellow as the easiest and purple as the trickiest. Words may seem to fit more than one theme, which is part of the challenge. Read the NYT Help Center guide to Connections for the official rules and access details, or play through the NYT Games website.
The NYT Help Center says the daily puzzle releases at midnight in each player’s timezone, so its displayed calendar date can differ by location. It also says the archive reaches back to June 12, 2023, and is available to All Access and Games subscribers.
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