NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 16, 2026

For today's NYT Connections puzzle, we have explanations for every word without revealing any answers. Mashable has been offering daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for a while, so we can assist you if you need similar support. While our focus is mainly on meanings, sometimes the meanings themselves can serve as clues.

Several words are connected to Latin, the historical language of ancient Rome. Long John Silver refers to a pirate character from "Treasure Island," Marigold is a yellow-orange flower that blooms in summer, and Steam iron is a household appliance used to smooth wrinkles in clothes. The term Dimension refers to the scope or magnitude of something, while Nickelodeon is a coin-operated music player.

Pennywise is the iconic clown from the movie "It," and Quarterback is an American football position, often the leader and primary strategist. Barrett refers to a quarrelsome person, Carlos is a common male name with Spanish and Portuguese origins, St. Vincent signifies a person or thing that leads, directs, or provides information to help understand something.

Other words in today's puzzle include Wadsworth, a butler from the 1980 film "Clue," Borat, a comedic fictional character played by Sacha Baron Cohen, and Clink, a short, sharp ringing sound made by glass or metal objects hitting each other. Frank-N-Furter is a fictional cross-dressing scientist in "The Rocky Horror Show," and Widener is a tool used to enlarge an existing hole.