NYT Connections Answer and Hints for 17 Sep 2025 – Puzzle #829

Stuck on today’s Connections? Below you’ll find an explanation of the puzzle, quick definitions for every word, gentle hints, the exact category titles, a single “nudge” word from each group, and (hidden) the complete solution.
Use the table of contents to jump to what you need.

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What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is a daily word grouping puzzle from The New York Times.
Your goal is to sort 16 words into 4 groups of 4, based on hidden connections.
Categories range from simple themes to clever wordplay, with some words acting as red herrings.

The 16 Words

Here are the 16 words, sorted alphabetically to avoid spoilers:

About-Face
Backpedal
Flag
Flip-Flop
Jam
Kangaroo
Neighborhood
Pinwheel
Rainbow
Renege
Shoehorn
Street
Stuff
Vane
Wedge
Wind Chime

Definitions of the 16 Words

About-Face	A reversal of direction, attitude, or opinion.
Backpedal	To reverse or retreat from an earlier position.
Flag	A piece of fabric with symbolic colors/designs, often flown in the wind.
Flip-Flop	A sudden change in opinion; also a type of sandal.
Jam	To cram tightly; also refers to a fruit preserve or musical session.
Kangaroo	Australian marsupial; also part of the show “Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.”
Neighborhood	A local residential area; also in “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
Pinwheel	A spinning toy that turns in the wind.
Rainbow	Multicolored arc in the sky; also “Reading Rainbow.”
Renege	To go back on a promise or commitment.
Shoehorn	Tool to help fit shoes on; figuratively, to cram something in.
Street	Public road in a city; also “Sesame Street.”
Stuff	To fill or cram tightly.
Vane	A flat device that moves with the wind, as in a weather vane.
Wedge	Object tapered to fit tightly; also means to cram.
Wind Chime	A hanging decoration that makes sounds when moved by the wind.

General Hints

One category involves things that blow in the wind.
Another group relates to changing your stance.
There’s a set of words that mean to cram.
The final group references children’s show titles.

Category Titles

🟨 Yellow: They’re Blowin’ in the Wind
🟩 Green: Change One’s Tune
🟦 Blue: Cram
🟪 Purple: Last Words in Long-Running Children’s Show Titles

One Word per Category

🟨 Yellow: Pinwheel
🟩 Green: Flip-Flop
🟦 Blue: Shoehorn
🟪 Purple: Street

Complete Solution

🟨 Yellow: They’re Blowin’ in the Wind → FLAG, PINWHEEL, VANE, WIND CHIME
🟩 Green: Change One’s Tune → ABOUT-FACE, BACKPEDAL, FLIP-FLOP, RENEGE
🟦 Blue: Cram → JAM, SHOEHORN, STUFF, WEDGE
🟪 Purple: Last Words in Long-Running Children’s Show Titles → KANGAROO, NEIGHBORHOOD, RAINBOW, STREET

Congrats if you solved it! Which category gave you the most trouble today?

Difficulty Today

Today’s puzzle leaned tricky. The “Children’s Show Titles” group required cultural recall, while the “Cram” set had lots of potential red herrings.

Tricky or Misleading Words

Flip-Flop — could point toward footwear instead of “change one’s tune.”
Rainbow — might suggest colors instead of the TV show title.
Jam — ambiguous between food, music, and the idea of cramming.

Strategy Tips

When you see unusual or pop culture references like “Neighborhood” or “Rainbow,” test whether they belong to a phrase or title.
For abstract categories like “Cram,” think about synonyms and figurative uses (shoehorn, wedge, stuff).