NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 20, 2026

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

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While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

Blu-Ray meaning

An optical disc used to store high-definition videos.

Coaster meaning

A flat, round disk for placing a drink upon.

Sand dollar meaning

A flat, round marine animal related to sea urchins and starfish.

Tortilla meaning

A thin, round flatbread made from corn or flour.

Bluegrass meaning

A genre of American music inspired by jazz and blues, usually associated with Kentucky.

Bourbon meaning

A barrel-aged whisky, commonly made in Kentucky.

Derby meaning

A sports match between two rival teams in the same area.

Fried chicken meaning

A popular protein entree cooked to a crisp in grease.

Hover meaning

To float in the air.

Skate meaning

A shoe with a blade or wheels to move on ice or hard surfaces.

Snow meaning

Frozen water vapor that falls from the sky during cold weather.

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Surf meaning

A water sport that involves riding a board in the ocean.

Blade meaning

A Marvel comic superhero played by Wesley Snipes in the 1998 film.

Near Dark meaning

A 1987 vampire action film.

Sinners meaning

A 2025 Oscar-winning film directed by Ryan Coogler.

Twilight meaning

A cult-classic early 2000s vampire book-to-movie series.

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