NYT Connections #822: A Blend of Pop Culture and Wordplay Challenges Players

Introduction

The New York Times’ daily word game Connections tests players’ pattern-spotting abilities by presenting a four-by-four grid of 16 seemingly unrelated words that must be sorted into four thematically linked groups of four.

Today’s Puzzle Breakdown

The September 10, 2025 edition (Puzzle #822) has been rated 3.5 out of 5 by the New York Times, indicating a moderately challenging puzzle. Today’s installment presents 16 words that initially appear random but reveal clever links when properly grouped.

Category Analysis

The yellow category maintains its traditional position as the easiest to solve, while the green category focuses on words meaning ‘Move Quickly.’ The blue category tests players’ knowledge of Eddie Murphy roles, potentially challenging for those less familiar with his filmography. The purple category, while typically the most difficult, is reportedly less complicated compared to recent weeks.

Game Mechanics

Players are limited to four guesses per puzzle, with each correct group illuminating in one of four colors (yellow, green, blue, purple) to indicate increasing difficulty. Players can drag-and-drop or shuffle the board to gain new perspectives on potential connections.

Social Aspect

The game features shareable results that allow players to post their color-coded grid and challenge friends. While playing doesn’t require an NYT subscription, creating one enables progress tracking. Results can be copied to the clipboard for sharing across various platforms.

Conclusion

The NYT Connections puzzle continues to provide both satisfaction and mental stimulation, with its combination of easy and challenging groups appealing to both newcomers and experienced players alike. While simple in concept, the game effectively tests players’ wit and vocabulary skills, making it an engaging daily challenge.