NYT Connections Puzzle #1203: Breath Fresheners, Wood Features, and 'Cool' Expressions

Key points

• CNET identifies the yellow group as breath fresheners: gum, mint, mouthwash, and spray.
• The green group consists of actions performed on dress shirts at the laundry: fold, press, starch, and wash.
• The blue group highlights features of wood: burl, grain, knots, and rings.
• The purple group, described as the toughest, includes words used in 'cool' expressions: beans, cat, cucumber, and customer.
• Mashable and Lifehacker provide hints for September 25 and 24 puzzles, respectively, focusing on word meanings and anagram-based categories.

Background

NYT Connections is a daily word game where players group 16 words into four color-coded categories. Previous coverage from August and September 2026 highlights the game's reliance on visual clues, wordplay, and overlapping categories. The game is part of the NYT Games suite, which includes Wordle and Strands.

How outlets are covering it

CNET emphasizes the puzzle's accessibility, noting it was 'not too difficult' and providing a ranked difficulty scale from yellow to purple. Mashable focuses on defining obscure words like 'Aykroryd' and 'Escapement' for the September 25 puzzle, while Lifehacker details the September 24 puzzle's anagram category, highlighting the game's frequent use of wordplay. All sources agree on the core mechanics but differ in their focus: CNET on difficulty, Mashable on definitions, and Lifehacker on structural clues.

Why it matters

Daily puzzles like Connections serve as a popular form of digital entertainment, offering cognitive engagement and a sense of community among players. The availability of hints and answers from multiple outlets reflects the high demand for assistance in solving these increasingly complex word games.

What to watch

Players can expect new daily puzzles from the NYT Games suite, including Connections, Wordle, and Strands. CNET and other outlets will continue to publish hints and solutions for subsequent days, including the September 27 puzzle.