The New York Times Connections puzzle for Sunday, September 13, 2026, presents a series of word groupings that require careful consideration to decipher. This guide offers hints, reveals the solutions, and provides a strategy to help players successfully complete the daily challenge.

Hints for Today's Puzzle

The puzzle offers thematic clues to guide players. The Yellow category hints at things lacking firmness, described as having poor posture. The Green category relates to guests of the Oval Office. The Blue category suggests abbreviations are absent, implying a different kind of wordplay. Finally, the Purple category focuses on the importance of endings, specifically those related to elevated landforms.

Additional clues suggest that one group of words is better heard than read, and another group contains hidden words within other words. For those needing a more direct nudge, a sample word from each group is provided: 'Droopy' for Yellow, 'Madison' for Green, 'Kewpie' for Blue, and 'Porridge' for Purple.

Revealing the Groups

For players seeking more significant assistance, the four thematic groups have been revealed. The Yellow category, 'Lacking in Firmness,' includes the words Droopy, Flaccid, Sagging, and Slack. The Green category, 'U.S. Presidents,' comprises Cleveland, Garfield, Grant, and Madison. The Blue category, 'Words That Sound Like Two Letters,' contains Empty, Excess, Kewpie, and Odie. Lastly, the Purple category, 'Ending in Elevated Landforms,' consists of Doublespeak, Heathcliff, Paramount, and Porridge.

Strategy and Solution

The puzzle's design, particularly the Blue category, highlights the importance of how words sound. One suggested strategy for solving Connections puzzles is to read the words aloud, as this can reveal phonetic connections that are not apparent when reading silently. This approach can be especially helpful for categories like the Blue group, where words mimic the sound of two-letter combinations.

The complete solution for the September 13, 2026, NYT Connections puzzle is as follows:

  • Yellow: Lacking in Firmness (Droopy, Flaccid, Sagging, Slack)
  • Green: U.S. Presidents (Cleveland, Garfield, Grant, Madison)
  • Blue: Words That Sound Like Two Letters (Empty, Excess, Kewpie, Odie)
  • Purple: Ending in Elevated Landforms (Doublespeak, Heathcliff, Paramount, Porridge)

Players are encouraged to try solving the puzzle using the hints provided. A new Connections puzzle is released daily, offering fresh challenges for enthusiasts.