The NYT Connections puzzle for Friday, September 19, 2025, is game #831. It gives you 16 words and asks you to sort them into four groups of four. You have four incorrect guesses before the puzzle ends, so the safest approach is to look for one strong connection at a time rather than force a tempting pair.
Below are spoiler-light clues first, followed by the complete groups and an explanation of the trickiest answers.
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Spoiler-free hints for Connections #831
Try these clues before reading the answers:
- Yellow: These words can mean to assess something or determine its value.
- Green: These are things someone might do while showing nervousness. Complete the phrase: “I’m a ___ wreck.”
- Blue: Each can be described as “running,” although none of the examples is especially desirable when it happens.
- Purple: Put the same word before each answer. It is something associated with writing or printing.
The blue and purple groups are the most likely to cause trouble. “Running” can describe makeup and a nose, while the final group depends on familiar compounds rather than a single obvious category.
The four answers
| Color | Connection | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Evaluate | GRADE, RANK, RATE, SCORE |
| Green | Exhibit nervousness | BLUSH, FIDGET, PACE, SWEAT |
| Blue | Things that can run, annoyingly | DYE, MASCARA, NOSE, STOCKINGS |
| Purple | Paper ___ | CLIP, TIGER, TOWEL, TRAIL |
Why each group works
Yellow: GRADE, RANK, RATE, SCORE
All four words describe ways of evaluating something. A teacher can grade an assignment, a publication can rank restaurants, a critic can rate a film, and a judge can score a performance. Their meanings overlap, which makes this the most straightforward group, but that overlap can also make it easy to overlook alternative uses for the words.
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Green: BLUSH, FIDGET, PACE, SWEAT
These are visible signs of nervousness. Someone may blush, fidget with their hands, pace around a room, or sweat under pressure. The phrase “I’m a nervous wreck” points toward the category without naming the exact connection.
Blue: DYE, MASCARA, NOSE, STOCKINGS
Each can “run.” Hair dye may run onto skin or clothing, and mascara can run down the face. A nose runs when you have a cold, while stockings run when a tear travels through the fabric. The group combines several meanings of the verb, which is why it may not stand out immediately.
Rank #2
Purple: CLIP, TIGER, TOWEL, TRAIL
These form familiar phrases when preceded by paper: paper clip, paper tiger, paper towel, and paper trail.
Paper tiger is the unusual entry. The expression refers to someone or something that appears powerful or threatening but is actually ineffective. That idiom places TIGER in the same group as the more literal compounds paper clip and paper towel.
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Full word list
The 16 entries in the September 19 puzzle were:
TIGER, NOSE, MASCARA, PACE, RATE, BLUSH, DYE, CLIP, SWEAT, TOWEL, SCORE, TRAIL, RANK, FIDGET, STOCKINGS, GRADE.
A practical solving route
- Start with the evaluation words: GRADE, RANK, RATE, and SCORE form a clean set.
- Look for physical reactions to pressure. BLUSH, FIDGET, PACE, and SWEAT belong together.
- Test “running” against the remaining words. DYE, MASCARA, NOSE, and STOCKINGS all fit different senses of the phrase.
- Use the leftover four—CLIP, TIGER, TOWEL, and TRAIL—to identify the shared word PAPER.
Before submitting any group, check whether one word has a stronger connection elsewhere. This puzzle uses familiar words in multiple contexts, and the four-mistake limit makes a quick guess risky.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
What is the date and number of this NYT Connections puzzle?
The puzzle is from Friday, September 19, 2025, and is Connections game #831.
What is the yellow group in Connections #831?
The yellow group is “Evaluate”: GRADE, RANK, RATE, and SCORE.
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- Find hundreds of words in an easy to read format - Some words you'll spot easily, but you'll have to search hard for others.
- A wide range of puzzle topics, including movies, actors, sports, cars, and more!
- Variations on the standard word search puzzles are included for extra challenge.
- Answer key in the back of the book.
- Spiral bound, 192 pages.
What does the blue group mean?
DYE, MASCARA, NOSE, and STOCKINGS are things that can “run,” usually in an annoying way.
Why is TIGER grouped with CLIP, TOWEL, and TRAIL?
They can all follow PAPER: paper clip, paper tiger, paper towel, and paper trail. A paper tiger is something that looks threatening or powerful but is actually ineffectual.
The Bottom Line
The answers for NYT Connections #831 are GRADE, RANK, RATE, SCORE for Evaluate; BLUSH, FIDGET, PACE, SWEAT for exhibiting nervousness; DYE, MASCARA, NOSE, STOCKINGS for things that can run; and CLIP, TIGER, TOWEL, TRAIL for Paper ___. The key traps are the different meanings of “run” and the idiom “paper tiger.”
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