NYT Connections Answer & Hints for September 1, 2025 — Puzzle #813

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 #813 (published September 1, 2025) ties together new beginnings, holiday honorees, renowned poets, and multiple senses of the word “cardinal.”

Definitions of the 16 Words

Alphabetical order to avoid hinting at groupings:

Word	Short definition
BIRD	A warm-blooded egg-laying animal with feathers; here, the cardinal bird.
BISHOP	Elizabeth Bishop, American poet; also a high-ranking clergy member.
BURNS	Robert Burns, 18th-century Scottish poet.
CLERGY MEMBER	A high-ranking official in the Catholic Church; a cardinal is part of this group.
DEBUT	A person’s or thing’s first appearance or performance.
INTRODUCTION	The act of presenting something for the first time.
LAUNCH	The start or release of a new product, venture, or event.
LORDE	Audre Lorde, 20th-century American poet and activist.
M.L.B. PLAYER	Refers to the St. Louis Cardinals, a Major League Baseball team.
MOTHER	Honored with Mother’s Day, an annual holiday.
N.F.L. PLAYER	Refers to the Arizona Cardinals, a National Football League team.
POPE	Alexander Pope, 18th-century English poet; also the head of the Catholic Church.
PREMIERE	The first public performance of a play, film, or other work.
PRESIDENT	Honored on President’s Day in the U.S.
SAINT PATRICK	Christian saint celebrated on St. Patrick’s Day.
SAINT VALENTINE	Christian saint associated with Valentine’s Day.

General Hints

One set: words meaning a first showing or debut.
Another: figures honored with specific holidays.
One group: last names of famous poets.
The last: multiple meanings of the word “cardinal.”

Category Titles

🟨 First appearance
🟩 Ones celebrated with holidays
🟦 Famous poets
🟪 What “Cardinal” might refer to

One Word From Each Category

🟨 LAUNCH
🟩 MOTHER
🟦 BURNS
🟪 BIRD

Full Solution

NYT Connections #813 — Full Groups

🟨 First appearance → DEBUT, INTRODUCTION, LAUNCH, PREMIERE
🟩 Ones celebrated with holidays → MOTHER, PRESIDENT, SAINT PATRICK, SAINT VALENTINE
🟦 Famous poets → BISHOP, BURNS, LORDE, POPE
🟪 What “Cardinal” might refer to → BIRD, CLERGY MEMBER, M.L.B. PLAYER, N.F.L. PLAYER

The “Cardinal” set is especially clever — spanning birds, religion, and two different sports leagues.

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