NYT Connections hints September 25 point to puzzle #472, published Wednesday, September 25, 2024. The answers are three sports achievements, room-painting supplies, city-associated foods, and phrases ending in DERBY. The main trap is ROLLER, which suggests “roller derby” but belongs with the painting supplies.
The word list comes first below, followed by progressively stronger hints and then a clearly marked full spoiler section for anyone seeking the complete Connections #472 answers.
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Key takeaways
- NYT Connections #472 was published on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, not September 25, 2025.
- The yellow category is a trio of sports achievements: HAT TRICK, THREEPEAT, TRIFECTA, and TRIPLE CROWN.
- The green category contains items used to paint a room: DROP CLOTH, PAINT, ROLLER, and TAPE.
- The blue category contains foods associated with cities: London broil, Philadelphia cheesesteak, Brussels sprouts, and Buffalo wings.
- The purple category contains words or phrases that can precede DERBY.
- ROLLER is the main red herring because “roller derby” looks like a likely purple answer, but ROLLER belongs in the painting category.
The 16 words in Connections #472
Before looking at the hints, here is the complete word grid for the Wednesday, September 25, 2024 puzzle:
HAT TRICK; HOME RUN; BROIL; PAINT; SOAP BOX; TRIPLE CROWN; DROP CLOTH; WINGS; ROLLER; KENTUCKY; SPROUTS; TRIFECTA; DEMOLITION; TAPE; THREEPEAT; CHEESESTEAK.
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The date matters because a September 25, 2025 puzzle would be a different daily game. The puzzle number, date, and answer groups for #472 are cross-checked in TechRadar’s September 25, 2024 Connections coverage and Forbes’ report on game #472.
What are the NYT Connections hints for September 25?
The hints become more specific from yellow to purple. Try each level before moving to the next one if you want to preserve the challenge.
| Color | Progressive hint | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Three related sporting achievements | Accomplishments involving three wins, events, titles, or victories |
| Green | What is needed to paint a room | Painting material, equipment, and supplies |
| Blue | Foods whose names are associated with cities | Food names with an omitted or implied place name |
| Purple | Four clues can be followed by the same word used for a contest between rivals | Expressions ending in DERBY |
How do you solve the yellow group?
The yellow group is TRIO OF SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS: HAT TRICK, THREEPEAT, TRIFECTA, and TRIPLE CROWN.
All four terms describe a sports accomplishment built around three achievements or victories. A hat trick commonly means three successful scores or accomplishments by one player; a threepeat is three consecutive wins or titles; a trifecta represents three successful outcomes; and a triple crown denotes a recognized three-part sporting achievement. The repeated three-related idea is the key connection.
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What belongs in the green painting-room group?
The green group is NEEDS FOR PAINTING A ROOM: DROP CLOTH, PAINT, ROLLER, and TAPE.
| Word | Role when painting a room |
|---|---|
| DROP CLOTH | Protects floors and other surfaces from paint |
| PAINT | The material applied to the room |
| ROLLER | Applies paint efficiently to broad surfaces |
| TAPE | Helps mask edges and areas that should remain unpainted |
The category is concrete, but ROLLER creates a competing phrase that becomes important in the purple group.
Which foods are named after cities?
The blue group is FOOD NAMED AFTER CITIES: BROIL, CHEESESTEAK, SPROUTS, and WINGS. The city names are not printed in the grid; the solver must supply them mentally.
| Grid word | Completed food name | Associated city |
|---|---|---|
| BROIL | London broil | London |
| CHEESESTEAK | Philadelphia cheesesteak | Philadelphia |
| SPROUTS | Brussels sprouts | Brussels |
| WINGS | Buffalo wings | Buffalo |
The shortened forms make this group less direct than the painting group. The answer set and city-food connection are also reported by News9Live’s coverage of Connections game #472.
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The purple category is ___ DERBY. Add DERBY after DEMOLITION, HOME RUN, KENTUCKY, and SOAP BOX.
| Grid entry | Completed phrase | Type of event |
|---|---|---|
| DEMOLITION | Demolition derby | Competitive vehicle event |
| HOME RUN | Home run derby | Baseball competition |
| KENTUCKY | Kentucky Derby | Horse race |
| SOAP BOX | Soap box derby | Gravity-powered racing event |
The category is deliberately broad: the completed phrases refer to different races, competitions, or sporting events rather than one single type of derby.
Why does ROLLER not go with derby?
ROLLER does not belong in the purple group because the puzzle needs it for the green painting-room group. “Roller derby” is a very plausible phrase, but the intended purple answers are DEMOLITION, HOME RUN, KENTUCKY, and SOAP BOX.
This is the puzzle’s strongest overlap trap. Once ROLLER is assigned to the painting supplies, the remaining derby phrases become clear. Community discussion about the puzzle also identified the attraction of “roller derby” as the principal source of confusion; the discussion is preserved in the r/NYTConnections thread for September 25, 2024.
Spoiler: the complete Connections #472 answers
Warning: the complete solution appears below.
| Color | Category | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Trio of sports achievements | HAT TRICK, THREEPEAT, TRIFECTA, TRIPLE CROWN |
| Green | Needs for painting a room | DROP CLOTH, PAINT, ROLLER, TAPE |
| Blue | Food named after cities | BROIL, CHEESESTEAK, SPROUTS, WINGS |
| Purple | ___ DERBY | DEMOLITION, HOME RUN, KENTUCKY, SOAP BOX |
The solution depends on four different kinds of wordplay: yellow uses a shared sports-achievement idea, green uses ordinary room-painting supplies, blue uses implied city names, and purple completes familiar phrases with DERBY. The overlap between ROLLER and “roller derby” is the intended misdirection.
How difficult was this Connections puzzle?
Yellow and green are the most direct groups because their members share clear meanings or practical uses. Blue requires cultural familiarity with city-associated foods and recognition that the city names have been removed. Purple depends on phrase completion and is made harder by the tempting but incorrect “roller derby” association.
The puzzle’s difficulty therefore comes less from obscure vocabulary than from switching between different language mechanisms: semantic grouping for yellow, object-and-use grouping for green, implied names for blue, and a shared phrase ending for purple.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Which date and puzzle number do these Connections answers cover?
NYT Connections #472 was published on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. It is different from any Connections puzzle published on September 25, 2025.
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What is the purple category in Connections #472?
The purple category is “___ DERBY.” Its four answers are DEMOLITION, HOME RUN, KENTUCKY, and SOAP BOX.
Why is ROLLER not part of the derby group?
ROLLER belongs to the painting-room category with DROP CLOTH, PAINT, and TAPE. “Roller derby” is the intentional red herring in the puzzle.
The Bottom Line
NYT Connections #472, published September 25, 2024, groups the words into sports achievements, room-painting supplies, city-associated foods, and phrases ending in DERBY. The key trap is ROLLER: it suggests “roller derby,” but it belongs with DROP CLOTH, PAINT, and TAPE.
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