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NYT Connections #822, played on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, groups the 16 tiles around reprimands, rapid movement, Eddie Murphy roles, and words that follow “King.” If you mean September 10, 2026, that puzzle is still in the future; this guide covers the September 10, 2025 board.
Spoiler warning: The full answers are below the hints.
NYT Connections #822, played on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, groups the 16 tiles around reprimands, rapid movement, Eddie Murphy roles, and words that follow “King.” If you are looking for a September 10, 2026 puzzle, that date is still in the future; this guide is for the archived September 10, 2025 board.
Spoiler warning: The complete categories and answers appear below the hints.
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Hints for Connections #822
Try these clues before revealing the answers:
- Yellow: A phrase or word you might use to scold someone after a poor decision.
- Green: These words can describe moving rapidly.
- Blue: Four characters played by Eddie Murphy.
- Purple: Each tile can follow the word “King.”
Two details are especially useful on this board: BARREL is used as a verb meaning to move quickly, and TUT and TUT TUT belong to different groups.
NYT Connections #822 answers for September 10, 2025
| Category | Answers |
|---|---|
| “You should know better!” | BAD, SHAME, TSK, TUT TUT |
| Move quickly | BARREL, FLY, RACE, ZIP |
| Eddie Murphy roles | AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, FOLEY |
| King ____ | CAKE, COBRA, KONG, TUT |
Yellow: “You should know better!” — BAD, SHAME, TSK, TUT TUT
BAD, SHAME, TSK, and TUT TUT are admonishing words or expressions. They can all be used to express disapproval or reprimand someone.
The main trap is the similar-looking pair TUT and TUT TUT. The doubled expression, TUT TUT, is the yellow answer. The single tile TUT is needed for the purple category.
Green: Move quickly — BARREL, FLY, RACE, ZIP
BARREL, FLY, RACE, and ZIP can all describe rapid movement. You might say that someone “raced” or “zipped” somewhere, or that a vehicle “barreled down the road.”
BARREL is the deceptive entry because it is easy to read it first as the noun for a container. In this group, it is a verb: to barrel means to move quickly and forcefully.
Blue: Eddie Murphy roles — AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, FOLEY
The blue group consists of characters played by Eddie Murphy:
- AKEEM: Prince Akeem in Coming to America.
- DOLITTLE: Dr. John Dolittle in Dr. Dolittle.
- DONKEY: Donkey in the Shrek films.
- FOLEY: Detective Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop.
The entries are not all formatted alike: one is a first name, one is a surname, one is a profession-based character name, and one is the name of an animated character. Recognizing the roles rather than looking for a shared word form is the key.
Purple: King ____ — CAKE, COBRA, KONG, TUT
CAKE, COBRA, KONG, and TUT each form a familiar name or phrase when preceded by “King”:
- King Cake, the Mardi Gras-associated cake.
- King cobra, a venomous snake.
- King Kong, the giant fictional ape.
- King Tut, the widely used name for the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.
This explains why TUT cannot be placed with TUT TUT. The single word completes King Tut, while the doubled expression is the reprimanding phrase in the yellow group.
Rank #4
A useful way to solve this board
- Look for the movement group first. FLY, RACE, and ZIP are relatively direct “move quickly” clues. Once you consider BARREL as a verb, the green group becomes complete.
- Test the recognizable Eddie Murphy names. AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, and FOLEY point to roles from different parts of Murphy’s film career.
- Separate TUT from TUT TUT. Do not treat the similar entries as interchangeable. TUT completes King Tut; TUT TUT is an expression of disapproval.
- Use the remaining reprimands for yellow. BAD, SHAME, and TSK join TUT TUT.
- Confirm the “King” phrases last. CAKE, COBRA, KONG, and TUT form the remaining purple set.
Why Connections #822 is tricky
The board uses two forms of ambiguity. First, BARREL looks like a thing rather than an action, so it may be overlooked in a group about movement. Second, TUT appears inside the longer expression TUT TUT, encouraging a false connection between the two tiles. Connections often relies on exactly this kind of distinction: a word can fit a tempting group, but only one reading produces four precise answers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Want more Connections puzzles?
For offline practice, Connections: The Official New York Times Puzzle Book presents the category-matching format in book form. It is a separate collection of puzzles; there is no claim here that it contains puzzle #822.
Connections is part of the New York Times Games experience. The official Connections Help Center page explains the game, while the NYT Games subscription information describes access to Connections and other Times games. Pricing, availability, and any affiliate arrangement can change, so check the official pages for current details.
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Connections presents 16 entries that must be arranged into four groups of four. The New York Times Help Center confirms that Connections is available through the Games experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the yellow group in Connections #822?
The four yellow answers are BAD, SHAME, TSK, and TUT TUT. They are words or expressions used to reprimand someone.
What is the green group in Connections #822?
The green answers are BARREL, FLY, RACE, and ZIP. In this category, BARREL is a verb meaning to move quickly.
What is the blue group in Connections #822?
The blue answers are AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, and FOLEY, all characters played by Eddie Murphy.
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The purple answers are CAKE, COBRA, KONG, and TUT, as in King Cake, king cobra, King Kong, and King Tut.
Why are TUT and TUT TUT in different Connections groups?
TUT is part of the purple “King ____” group because it completes King Tut. TUT TUT is the yellow reprimand expression.
The Bottom Line
The answers to NYT Connections #822 for September 10, 2025 are BAD, SHAME, TSK, TUT TUT; BARREL, FLY, RACE, ZIP; AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, FOLEY; and CAKE, COBRA, KONG, TUT. The two essential traps are reading BARREL as a verb and keeping TUT separate from TUT TUT.
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