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Verified archive for September 10, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1187

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for September 10, 2026

This September 10, 2026 board combines chemical elements, window-adjacent sights, Bruce Springsteen classics, and a word-ending pattern.

Guide editorNora BennettSenior Editor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Group 1Category hidden
Group 2Category hidden
Group 3Category hidden
Group 4Category hidden

Need more than a hint?

Get a spoiler-safe solving plan

Use three general checks to make progress without seeing a category or answer.

Open today’s solving plan
  1. Prefer an exact rule.A shared topic is only a lead. Look for four words connected in the same precise way.
  2. Find the least flexible word.Use the word with the narrowest meaning to place words that could belong in several groups.
  3. Test the grammar.If the leftovers look unrelated, try placing one common word before or after each answer.

Reveal guide

Choose only as much help as you need

Every group has its own ladder. Opening one level never exposes another group.

  1. 1
    Start with a small hint

    Get a gentle nudge without seeing the category or its words.

  2. 2
    Ask for a stronger hint

    Use a more specific clue before revealing the category.

  3. 3
    Reveal only what you choose

    Open the category, then the four words only when you are ready.

You remain in control. You can move between levels without revealing the rest of the puzzle.

Practice board guide

Try a group without risking your streak

This scratchpad checks your thinking locally. It never sends a guess to the official puzzle.

  1. 1
    Choose four words

    Tap any four tiles that share one precise connection.

  2. 2
    Check the set

    Once four are selected, press “Check these four.”

  3. 3
    Keep it or adjust

    A correct group is confirmed. If it misses, swap one word or open a hint.

Nothing here affects an official streak. Clear the board at any time and try another four.

Today’s puzzle explained

September 10, 2026 Connections overview

The category labels and word assignments are preserved exactly from the verified source. Any apparent overlap should be treated as a player-facing observation rather than an assertion about editorial intent.

Overall difficultyThe verified color order places the CHEMICAL ELEMENTS group in yellow, WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW in green, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS in blue, and ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW" in purple.Biggest trapSeveral board entries can invite broad associations, so check a proposed set against the exact official category title before committing.Best first moveStart with the yellow CHEMICAL ELEMENTS set: ACTINIUM, KRYPTON, LEAD, and SULFUR share the official category title directly.

Why the board is deceptive

The verified board has four official groups, ordered yellow, green, blue, and purple.

The categories range from direct subject recognition to a final word-pattern relationship.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

A practical route is to secure the direct CHEMICAL ELEMENTS group first, then identify the window-related objects, recognize the Bruce Springsteen titles, and leave the ending-based category for the remaining four words.

Spoilers below

Today’s groups and answers

Each group stays hidden until you choose to open it. Reveal one at a time, or keep this section closed while you continue solving.

CHEMICAL ELEMENTSReveal this group

What connects ACTINIUM, KRYPTON, LEAD and SULFUR?

ACTINIUM · KRYPTON · LEAD · SULFUR

CHEMICAL ELEMENTS. The official category title directly groups ACTINIUM, KRYPTON, LEAD, and SULFUR as CHEMICAL ELEMENTS.

Best anchor: ACTINIUM and KRYPTON make the scientific reading visible.

WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOWReveal this group

What connects AIR CONDITIONER, CATIO, CLOTHESLINE and FLOWER BOX?

AIR CONDITIONER · CATIO · CLOTHESLINE · FLOWER BOX

WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW. The source places AIR CONDITIONER, CATIO, CLOTHESLINE, and FLOWER BOX under the exact window-related category.

Best anchor: FLOWER BOX and CLOTHESLINE point toward objects visible around windows.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICSReveal this group

What connects ATLANTIC CITY, BADLANDS, BORN TO RUN and THUNDER ROAD?

ATLANTIC CITY · BADLANDS · BORN TO RUN · THUNDER ROAD

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS. The verified source assigns ATLANTIC CITY, BADLANDS, BORN TO RUN, and THUNDER ROAD to BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS.

Best anchor: The four title-shaped entries form the official Springsteen set.

ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"Reveal this group

What connects ADULT CONTEMPORARY, ALTERNATING CURRENT, REPRESENT and SEXTANT?

ADULT CONTEMPORARY · ALTERNATING CURRENT · REPRESENT · SEXTANT

ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW". The source gives the remaining four words the exact category title ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW".

Best anchor: The final group is defined by its official ending-based title.

How to solve this Connections puzzle

The thinking route, not just the answers

Use today’s anchor words as a repeatable method: secure an exact group, remove it, and let the remaining board become more specific.

  1. 1
    CHEMICAL ELEMENTS

    ACTINIUM and KRYPTON make the scientific reading visible.

  2. 2
    WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW

    FLOWER BOX and CLOTHESLINE point toward objects visible around windows.

  3. 3
    BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS

    The four title-shaped entries form the official Springsteen set.

  4. 4
    ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"

    The final group is defined by its official ending-based title.

Mental model to reuse tomorrow

Exact relationship beats shared topic

Weak rule“These words feel related.”A broad topic can support several tempting but unstable groups.

Strong rule“The same test works for all four.”One precise relationship should explain every answer in the same way.

Today’s best first move: Start with the yellow CHEMICAL ELEMENTS set: ACTINIUM, KRYPTON, LEAD, and SULFUR share the official category title directly..

Build your solving vocabulary

Four anchors worth spotting

An anchor is the least flexible word in a possible group. It often exposes the intended relationship before the more ambiguous words do.

Yellow, the first verified color group. groupCHEMICAL ELEMENTS
CHEMICAL ELEMENTS: ACTINIUM and KRYPTON make the scientific reading visible.
Green, the second verified color group. groupWHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW: FLOWER BOX and CLOTHESLINE point toward objects visible around windows.
Blue, the third verified color group. groupBRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS: The four title-shaped entries form the official Springsteen set.
Purple, the fourth verified color group. groupENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"
ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW": The final group is defined by its official ending-based title.

Questions players ask

Connections help without extra spoilers

I’m stuck. Which hint should I open first?

Start with the small hint for the group you feel closest to solving. Use the stronger hint only if the first nudge is not enough, then reveal the category or four words when you want confirmation.

What should I do when five words seem to belong together?

Assume one is a red herring. Look for the word with a strong second meaning, then test whether it forms a cleaner group elsewhere.

What does “Test a group” do?

Select four words and choose “Check these four” to see whether your grouping works. It stays on this page and never submits a guess to the official puzzle or affects a streak.

Do I need to solve the groups in difficulty order?

No. Start with the clearest exact set. Removing an obvious group often exposes the overlapping meanings and wordplay in the harder groups.

Can I check one answer without spoiling the whole puzzle?

Yes. Every group opens independently, so you can reveal one hint, category or set of four words while keeping the other groups hidden.

About the guide editor

Nora Bennett

An editor focused on spoiler-conscious daily puzzle guides and plain-English solving explanations.

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