NYT Connections Answer Today (#835) – 23 Sep 2025 Solution & Hints
4 mins read

NYT Connections Answer Today (#835) – 23 Sep 2025 Solution & Hints

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 β€œnudge” 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:

  • Baby
  • Bouncy
  • Bright
  • Buggy
  • Bumper
  • Carry-On
  • Duffel
  • Ferris
  • Hard-Shell
  • Heather
  • Indiana
  • Merry
  • Pee-Wee
  • Roller
  • Rubber
  • Sunny

Definitions of the 16 Words

Baby Infant; also used in the tongue-twister β€œrubber baby buggy bumper.”
Bouncy Lively, full of energy.
Bright Radiant or cheerful.
Buggy A small carriage or stroller; also part of the tongue-twister.
Bumper Protective bar on a vehicle; also in the phrase β€œbuggy bumper.”
Carry-On Luggage small enough to take on board a plane.
Duffel A large cylindrical travel bag, often made of canvas.
Ferris Refers to β€œFerris Bueller,” title character from the 1986 film *Ferris Bueller’s Day Off*.
Hard-Shell Rigid type of suitcase.
Heather From *Heathers* (1989), cult teen movie.
Indiana Title character β€œIndiana Jones,” iconic film hero.
Merry Cheerful, full of joy.
Pee-Wee Refers to Pee-Wee Herman, title character in *Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure* (1985).
Roller Luggage with wheels; also roller bag.
Rubber Elastic material; part of the tongue-twister group.
Sunny Radiant, bright, associated with cheerfulness.

General Hints

  • One group is all about cheerful, happy adjectives.
  • Another plays with the classic tongue-twister phrase.
  • There’s a set of different kinds of luggage.
  • The last group references iconic β€˜80s movie characters.

Category Titles

  • 🟨 Yellow: Cheerful
  • 🟩 Green: “Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper”
  • 🟦 Blue: Kinds of Luggage
  • πŸŸͺ Purple: Title Characters in ’80s Movies

One Word per Category

  • 🟨 Yellow: Merry
  • 🟩 Green: Buggy
  • 🟦 Blue: Duffel
  • πŸŸͺ Purple: Indiana

Complete Solution

  • 🟨 Yellow: Cheerful β†’ BOUNCY, BRIGHT, MERRY, SUNNY
  • 🟩 Green: “Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper” β†’ BABY, BUGGY, BUMPER, RUBBER
  • 🟦 Blue: Kinds of Luggage β†’ CARRY-ON, DUFFEL, HARD-SHELL, ROLLER
  • πŸŸͺ Purple: Title Characters in ’80s Movies β†’ FERRIS, HEATHER, INDIANA, PEE-WEE

The β€˜80s movies group was fun nostalgia β€” did you catch it quickly?

Difficulty Today

Today’s puzzle felt moderate. The cheerful words were easy to spot, but the tongue-twister group was quirky and unexpected.

Tricky or Misleading Words

  • Rubber β€” could easily be mistaken for material categories.
  • Heather β€” might mislead solvers into thinking of the plant rather than the film.
  • Roller β€” could suggest roller skates instead of luggage.

Strategy Tips

Always watch for playful word patterns or tongue-twisters β€” Connections often sneaks in quirky groups like today’s β€œRubber Baby Buggy Bumper.”

Join the Discussion

Did the tongue-twister throw you off, or did you spot it right away? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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