MEDIUMPuzzle #1183

NYT Connections Hints & Answers (#1183) – Today's Puzzle, Sep 6

TODAY'S NYT CONNECTIONS TIP

“Start by identifying UNRESTRICTED PERMISSION (BLANK CHECK, CARTE BLANCHE...) to narrow down the remaining 16-word grid!”

Written by Naveed Ahmed · Updated: September 6, 2026

← Yesterday's Connections Hint (#1182, Sep 5)

Connections Hint for Each Word Today

Tap any word to see its Connections hint — what it means in today's puzzle, no spoilers.

BLANK CHECK hint: In the context of unrestricted permission, "BLANK CHECK" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

CARTE BLANCHE hint: In the context of unrestricted permission, "CARTE BLANCHE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

FREE REIN hint: In the context of unrestricted permission, "FREE REIN" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

FULL AUTHORITY hint: In the context of unrestricted permission, "FULL AUTHORITY" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

CARD SLOT hint: In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "CARD SLOT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

HEADPHONE JACK hint: In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "HEADPHONE JACK" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

OPTICAL DRIVE hint: In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "OPTICAL DRIVE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

USB PORT hint: In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "USB PORT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

ATM MACHINE hint: In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "ATM MACHINE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

LCD DISPLAY hint: In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "LCD DISPLAY" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

PIN NUMBER hint: In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "PIN NUMBER" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

UPC CODE hint: In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "UPC CODE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

COURT SCRIBE hint: In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "COURT SCRIBE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

DIRECTOR'S CUT hint: In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "DIRECTOR'S CUT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

PIZZA SLICE hint: In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "PIZZA SLICE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

SAT SCORE hint: In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "SAT SCORE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

Hints uncovered0 / 16

Today's NYT Connections Hints for All Four Categories

Reveal progressively: see the category hint first, then the group name, then individual words — stop whenever you have enough.

🟡 Straightforward

🟢 Medium

🔵 Hard

🟣 Tricky

⚠️Traps & Misdirects Hints for Today’s Connections Puzzle

Today’s Connections puzzle includes words intentionally placed to misdirect you into wrong groups. These traps and misdirects hints reveal which words are designed to mislead, so you don’t burn your 4 allowed mistakes on deliberate decoys.

CARD SLOT, HEADPHONE JACK, OPTICAL DRIVE, USB PORT

In today's medium category (PLACES TO INSERT SOMETHING INTO ON A COMPUTER), pay close attention to subtle shifts in meaning. Words like CARD SLOT, HEADPHONE JACK, OPTICAL DRIVE, USB PORT may appear to belong to other everyday contexts, but their true connection lies in their shared relationship to PLACES TO INSERT SOMETHING INTO ON A COMPUTER.

COURT SCRIBE, DIRECTOR'S CUT, PIZZA SLICE, SAT SCORE

The trickiest grouping today is "ENDING WITH WAYS TO CARVE A SURFACE". Words such as COURT SCRIBE, DIRECTOR'S CUT, PIZZA SLICE, SAT SCORE are designed as intentional misdirects. Look past their obvious surface meanings for hidden wordplay or secondary definitions.

ATM MACHINE, LCD DISPLAY, PIN NUMBER, UPC CODE

Be careful with overlap between ATM MACHINE, LCD DISPLAY, PIN NUMBER, UPC CODE and other categories on the board. The editor often places decoy pairings in "ABBREVIATIONS FOLLOWED BY REDUNDANT WORD" to trap unsuspecting players into using up their 4 allowed mistakes.

Today's NYT Connections Answers

Click to reveal the complete solution — all four categories.

Category: UNRESTRICTED PERMISSION (Straightforward) — Answers: BLANK CHECK, CARTE BLANCHE, FREE REIN, FULL AUTHORITY

Category: PLACES TO INSERT SOMETHING INTO ON A COMPUTER (Medium) — Answers: CARD SLOT, HEADPHONE JACK, OPTICAL DRIVE, USB PORT

Category: ABBREVIATIONS FOLLOWED BY REDUNDANT WORD (Hard) — Answers: ATM MACHINE, LCD DISPLAY, PIN NUMBER, UPC CODE

Category: ENDING WITH WAYS TO CARVE A SURFACE (Tricky) — Answers: COURT SCRIBE, DIRECTOR'S CUT, PIZZA SLICE, SAT SCORE

Today's NYT Connections Answers Explained

UNRESTRICTED PERMISSION

The words BLANK CHECK, CARTE BLANCHE, FREE REIN, FULL AUTHORITY all share a unique thematic connection as unrestricted permission.

BLANK CHECK

In the context of unrestricted permission, "BLANK CHECK" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

CARTE BLANCHE

In the context of unrestricted permission, "CARTE BLANCHE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

FREE REIN

In the context of unrestricted permission, "FREE REIN" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

FULL AUTHORITY

In the context of unrestricted permission, "FULL AUTHORITY" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

PLACES TO INSERT SOMETHING INTO ON A COMPUTER

The words CARD SLOT, HEADPHONE JACK, OPTICAL DRIVE, USB PORT all share a unique thematic connection as places to insert something into on a computer.

CARD SLOT

In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "CARD SLOT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

HEADPHONE JACK

In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "HEADPHONE JACK" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

OPTICAL DRIVE

In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "OPTICAL DRIVE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

USB PORT

In the context of places to insert something into on a computer, "USB PORT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

ABBREVIATIONS FOLLOWED BY REDUNDANT WORD

The words ATM MACHINE, LCD DISPLAY, PIN NUMBER, UPC CODE all share a unique thematic connection as abbreviations followed by redundant word.

ATM MACHINE

In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "ATM MACHINE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

LCD DISPLAY

In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "LCD DISPLAY" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

PIN NUMBER

In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "PIN NUMBER" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

UPC CODE

In the context of abbreviations followed by redundant word, "UPC CODE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

ENDING WITH WAYS TO CARVE A SURFACE

The words COURT SCRIBE, DIRECTOR'S CUT, PIZZA SLICE, SAT SCORE all share a unique thematic connection as ending with ways to carve a surface.

COURT SCRIBE

In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "COURT SCRIBE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

DIRECTOR'S CUT

In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "DIRECTOR'S CUT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

PIZZA SLICE

In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "PIZZA SLICE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

SAT SCORE

In the context of ending with ways to carve a surface, "SAT SCORE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

What Makes Today’s NYT Connections Puzzle Tricky?

CARD SLOT, HEADPHONE JACK, OPTICAL DRIVE, USB PORT sit alongside ATM MACHINE, LCD DISPLAY, PIN NUMBER, UPC CODE and phrases like COURT SCRIBE, DIRECTOR'S CUT, PIZZA SLICE, SAT SCORE — a collision of distinct word groups and subtle misdirects.

The editor's sharpest trick is hiding a word-within-a-word: some of the multi-word phrases are not grouped by their topic but by what their first word secretly means.

How to Use Connections Hints

Everyone playing NYT Connections puzzle gets stuck at a different point. Some players can’t figure out a single word. Others have three groups solved and can’t find the fourth. Where you are stuck determines which connection hint you need.

A word in the puzzle has an unfamiliar meaning

Some words in today’s NYT Connections puzzle are uncommon. Connections editor Wyna Liu often uses words with specific or less familiar meanings, particularly in the green, blue, and purple categories. If you don’t know what a word means, you cannot reliably place it in a group.

Recommendation: Use the Word Hint. It tells you what the word means in the context of today’s puzzle. Tap any word directly on the board above to see its hint.

No groups are forming after reading all sixteen words

The connection between words is often not obvious from their meanings alone — categories are built around themes that require a specific angle to see. These category-level clues are the most useful hints.

Recommendation: Use the Category Hint. It points you toward the theme of a category without revealing the category name or which words belong to it. Tap “Yellow Category Hint” first.

You have a possible group but aren’t ready to guess

You think four words belong together but you’re not confident enough to guess. If you’re unsure, don’t guess yet — a wrong guess costs you one of your four mistakes.

Recommendation: Use the Category Name. It reveals the exact name of the category without showing you which words belong to it.

One word seems to fit more than one group

You have built a group of four words but one word in it could also fit somewhere else. NYT Connections editor Wyna Liu deliberately places misleading words on the board.

Recommendation: Use the Traps and Misdirects Hints. It identifies the specific misleading words in today’s puzzle and explains why they don’t belong where you think they do.

You know the category but can’t find all four words

You have identified the theme of a category but can’t find all four words that belong to it.

Recommendation: Use the Word Reveal. It uncovers one masked word at a time without revealing the full group. This is the most precise connection hint available.

One mistake left with two groups unsolved

You have one mistake remaining and two groups unsolved. If you guess wrong here, the game ends and NYT reveals all the answers automatically.

Recommendation: Do not guess yet. Use the Category Name for both remaining groups first. If that is still not enough, tap “Category Words” and reveal one word at a time.

You want today’s answers without solving the puzzle

Use the Answers section. It shows all four category names and the four words that belong to each one.

Recommendation: Go to the Answers section.

The puzzle is over but a category still doesn’t make sense

You can see the four groups and their words but the connection between them isn’t clear.

Recommendation: Use the Answer Explanation. It tells you exactly what connects the words in each category and why each individual word belongs there.

Browse Past Puzzles

View answers and hints for every previous NYT Connections puzzle.

Puzzle Archive →

Frequently Asked Questions

NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle by The New York Times where you group 16 words into 4 categories of 4 words each. Each category has a hidden theme color-coded by difficulty.

Yellow is the most straightforward category, Green is medium difficulty, Blue is harder, and Purple contains the trickiest, most misleading groupings.

Yes, NYT Connections is free to play once per day on the New York Times Games website.

A new NYT Connections puzzle releases every day at midnight in your local time zone (12:00 AM ET for US Eastern Time).

Naveed Ahmed

@NaveedAhmedDev•@naveedcolab

Lead Writer & Connections Puzzle Analyst

Naveed is a dedicated puzzle strategist and word game analyst who breaks down daily NYT Connections categories, uncovers tricky wordplay patterns, and delivers progressive, spoiler-free clues to help thousands of players solve every puzzle.