NYT Connections Answer & Hints for August 28, 2025 — Puzzle #809

Stuck on today’s Connections? Below you’ll find an intro, full definitions of all 16 words, spoiler-light hints, category titles, one word per category, and the complete solution.

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About Today’s Connections Puzzle

Puzzle #809 (published August 28, 2025) mixes tea essentials, trap imagery, tech/wordplay ending with keyboard keys, and words tied to hardness. The purple group is especially tricky unless you notice the keyboard pun.

Definitions of the 16 Words

Alphabetical to avoid hinting at groupings:

Word	Short definition
CANTAB	Abbreviation for “Cantabrigian,” referring to Cambridge University; here used because it ends with “TAB,” a keyboard key.
CUP	A small open container used for drinking liquids such as tea or coffee.
CYBERSPACE	The notional environment where online communication occurs; ends with “SPACE,” a keyboard key.
DIAMOND	A precious stone and the hardest natural material.
ICECAPS	Masses of ice covering land areas; here, word ends with “CAPS,” short for Caps Lock on a keyboard.
KETTLE	A container with a lid, spout, and handle, used for boiling water.
MAKESHIFT	A temporary substitute; ends with “SHIFT,” a keyboard key.
NAILS	Thin pointed metal fasteners hammered into material; also refers to human fingernails.
NET	A meshed fabric used to catch or trap things.
ROCK	Solid mineral material; colloquially means something very hard or strong.
SNARE	A trap, often for capturing animals.
STEEL	A strong alloy of iron, associated with toughness and hardness.
TANGLE	A twisted mass; also, a confusing or trapped situation.
TEABAG	A small porous bag containing tea leaves for brewing.
WATER	A clear liquid essential for life; boiled with tea leaves to make tea.
WEB	A network of fine threads spun by a spider; also metaphorically a trap.