Today’s puzzle features people hired for events, ways to internalize information, self-care practices, and things that can be pushed metaphorically.
Several words may appear to fit more than one category, making the intended groups harder to identify at first glance.
Players can use the hints below before checking the complete answers and spoilers.
The New York Times Connections puzzle for September 11, 2026, asks players to divide 16 words into four groups of four based on their hidden connections. Today’s categories include people hired for events, ways to internalize information, self-care practices, and things that can be pushed metaphorically.
The board includes words that can create misleading associations, making it important to identify the intended connection before locking in a group.
Players looking for a little help before seeing the answers can use these category clues:
Yellow: Think about people you might hire for an event.
Green: Think about different ways of internalizing information.
Blue: Think about activities that support your wellbeing.
Purple: Think about things that can be pushed in a figurative sense.
These clues point toward the four categories without immediately revealing every answer.
For players who need an extra push, one word from each category can help reveal the intended connections.
Yellow: BAND
Green: ABSORB
Blue: EXERCISE
Purple: AGENDA
The four groups in today’s puzzle are:
Yellow: People Hired for an Event
Green: Internalize
Blue: Ways to Practice Self-Care
Purple: Things That Are Pushed Metaphorically
Yellow — People Hired for an Event
BAND
FLORIST
PHOTOGRAPHER
PLANNER
These are professionals or services that people may hire for an event.
Green — Internalize
ABSORB
DIGEST
PROCESS
TAKE IN
These words describe taking in, understanding, or mentally processing information.
Blue — Ways to Practice Self-Care
EXERCISE
JOURNAL
MEDITATE
UNPLUG
These activities represent different approaches to taking time for personal well-being and self-care.
Purple — Things That Are Pushed Metaphorically
AGENDA
ENVELOPE
LIMITS
LUCK
These words can be paired with ‘push’ in metaphorical or figurative expressions.
Today’s NYT Connections mixes familiar activities and concepts with less obvious word associations. Some entries may initially fit multiple categories, creating distractions as players work through the board.
The Purple group is particularly challenging because the connection relies on the figurative use of “pushed” rather than a literal action.
Overall, today’s puzzle combines straightforward associations with metaphorical connections, requiring players to look beyond the most obvious meanings before committing to a group.