The NYT Connections puzzle for September 25, 2026, is numbered 1202. Today’s grid, curated by associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, balances straightforward synonyms for wealth with a technical deep dive into mechanical engineering and a tricky linguistic shift in the purple category.
Connections Hints for September 25
If you are looking to narrow down the categories before the full solution, use these progressive hints:
- Yellow: These words describe things or people that are upscale or high-end.
- Green: All of these are physical components you would find inside a traditional ticking timepiece.
- Blue: This group consists of last names belonging to famous men named Dan.
- Purple: Look for biological classification levels (taxonomic ranks) that have been modified by adding a single letter.
For those using the Connections Bot to analyze their performance, today’s puzzle relies heavily on recognizing technical clockwork and specific pop culture figures.
SPOILER WARNING: The full answers and group logic for Connections #1202 follow below.
Connections Answers for September 25
Yellow: Luxe
- BOUGIE
- FANCY
- POSH
- SWANK
This category is the most direct in the grid, featuring four synonyms for high-status or luxurious living.
Green: Parts of a Mechanical Clock
- ESCAPEMENT
- PENDULUM
- RATCHET
- SPRING
This group requires knowledge of clockwork mechanics. The escapement is the mechanism that regulates the movement, while the ratchet allows for the winding of the spring or weight system.
Blue: Famous Dans
- AYKROYD
- LEVY
- RATHER
- SAVAGE
This group identifies well-known figures named Dan: actor Dan Aykroyd, actor/writer Dan Levy, journalist Dan Rather, and columnist Dan Savage.
Purple: Taxonomic Ranks, Plus a Letter
- BORDER (ORDER)
- CLASSY (CLASS)
- FOAMILY (FAMILY)
- GENIUS (GENUS)
The most difficult category today uses biological taxonomy as its base. Each word is a standard taxonomic rank with one letter added to create a new common word: Class becomes Classy, Order becomes Border, Genus becomes Genius, and Family becomes Foamily.
The logic for these groups is confirmed by Forbes, which highlights the difficulty of the purple group’s letter-addition gimmick.
