Today’s Connections hints (spoiler-layered)

Use this page when you're stuck on today's NYT Connections puzzle and want structured hints instead of a full spoiler. We reveal themes, group titles, and tiles step by step, then show the full group breakdown only when you explicitly ask for it.

Puzzle #1285 · 2026-09-12

Step through today’s Connections hints

Start with broad themes, then reveal more detail about the groups and tiles only when you need it. The final button shows today's full group breakdown.

Puzzle reference: Connections #1285 for 2026-09-12, edition main, with a standard four-group board. Spoiler categories and tiles stay collapsed until you open the hint layers below.

Hint 1 – overall theme

There are 4 groups in today’s puzzle.

Themes include: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR, PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM, THINGS THAT BLINK and 1 more.

Hint 2 – group titles

Here are the category names for each group. Try matching the tiles in the official game to these themes before you reveal any tiles.

WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR
PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM
THINGS THAT BLINK
___ ALERT

Hint 3 – group tiles

Reveal the tiles for each group. If you only want a partial nudge, stop after reading one or two groups and go back to the official puzzle.

WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR

BUMPER STICKER

FUZZY DICE

HOOD ORNAMENT

VANITY PLATE

PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM

LURKER

POSTER

SPAMMER

TROLL

THINGS THAT BLINK

CURSOR

EYELIDS

SMOKE DETECTOR

TURN SIGNAL

___ ALERT

NERD

RED

SPOILER

WEATHER

Reveal full answer

This is the full breakdown of today's Connections puzzle: group titles and all tiles, grouped together.