Mastering the September 30 Connections Puzzle

Each day, the New York Times releases a new edition of its popular word-association game, Connections. The objective is to organize 16 words into four distinct groups based on shared characteristics. If you find yourself hitting a wall, this guide provides the necessary hints and solutions to help you solve puzzle #1207.


Understanding the Categories

The game is designed to challenge your lateral thinking, with categories ranging from straightforward to highly complex. Here are the themes for today's puzzle:

  • Yellow: Financial securities
  • Green: Items typically shaken
  • Blue: Classic gangster films
  • Purple: Words beginning with abbreviated months

Today's Answers

If you prefer to see the solution directly, here are the finalized groups for game #1207:

  • SECURITIES: BOND, FUTURE, OPTION, STOCK
  • THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN (NOT STIRRED): ETCH A SKETCH, MARTINI, SPRAY PAINT, TAMBOURINE
  • GANGSTER MOVIES: BUGSY, CASINO, DONNIE BRASCO, SCARFACE
  • STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONS: DECENT, NOVELTY, OCTOPUSSY, SEPTUM

Game Strategy and Observations

The puzzle designers often use "red herrings" to mislead players. For instance, the James Bond theme acted as a distraction, featuring tiles like BOND, OCTOPUSSY, and MARTINI that could easily lead one astray. Similarly, the category for gangster films appeared deceptively simple, causing some players to overthink their selection.

One common pitfall involves the purple category, where wordplay—such as using month abbreviations—can easily be confused with other potential groupings. When playing, remember that you have four attempts to solve the grid. You can often rely on a process of elimination to narrow down the final group, which can be the most difficult to deduce.


About NYT Connections

Connections has quickly become a staple of the New York Times gaming suite. Unlike the viral success of Wordle, Connections requires a broader vocabulary and the ability to identify complex linguistic patterns. You can play it for free on both desktop and mobile devices via the official NYT Games website.