Today’s NYT Connections (#830) is a tidy grid with one classic synonym set, a supply/prepare cluster, a logo-spotter, and a wordplay group that clicks when you say the tiles out loud. If you’d rather solve it yourself, head to the game page first. Light spoilers begin below; full answers follow a warning.

Quick refresher

Connections presents 16 tiles. Your goal: sort them into four groups of four based on a shared idea. Each solved group reveals a category label and a color from easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple). Expect red herrings—especially overlapping synonyms.

Today’s board (Puzzle #830)

  • NASA
  • READY
  • WILLING
  • ABLE
  • NOAA
  • OUTFIT
  • N.F.L.
  • GAME
  • DOWN
  • CANE
  • PREPARE
  • PARAMOUNT
  • EAVE
  • SUBARU
  • EAGER
  • EQUIP

Light hints (no spoilers)

  • Yellow: An enthusiastic “yes.”
  • Green: Verbs for supplying or kitting out.
  • Blue: Think starry emblems.
  • Purple: Say them aloud; they echo early Genesis names.

Extra nudge: In the official Companion for No. 830, the single-tile reveals include DOWN, EQUIP, NASA, and CANE, and testers rate today’s difficulty at 3.4/5. You’ll find both on the Companion page.

Spoilers ahead: category names

  • Yellow — Into it
  • Green — Furnish
  • Blue — Orgs with stars in their logos
  • Purple — Homophones of Genesis figures

Full answers by group

  • Yellow (Into it): DOWN, EAGER, GAME, WILLING
  • Green (Furnish): EQUIP, OUTFIT, PREPARE, READY
  • Blue (Orgs with stars in their logos): N.F.L., NASA, PARAMOUNT, SUBARU
  • Purple (Homophones of Genesis figures): ABLE (Abel), CANE (Cain), EAVE (Eve), NOAA (Noah)

Why these fit

Into it: Each term signals enthusiasm or willingness to proceed. “Down,” “game,” “eager,” and “willing” all convey an active, positive readiness.

Furnish: These are verbs for supplying or getting something set: “equip” and “outfit” provide gear; “prepare” and “ready” bring someone or something into a state of readiness.

Orgs with stars in their logos: The N.F.L. shield includes stars; NASA’s insignia features a field with stars; Paramount’s mountain is encircled by stars; Subaru’s badge depicts the Pleiades star cluster.

Homophones of Genesis figures: Say them aloud and you’ll hear the names: ABLE/Abel, CANE/Cain, EAVE/Eve, NOAA/Noah.

Strategy notes

  • Disentangle near-synonyms: “Ready,” “willing,” and “able” look inseparable, but here “ready” belongs with “furnish,” not with the enthusiasm set. Look for the specific shade of meaning (enthusiasm vs. state of preparedness).
  • Use out-loud tests: When a tile feels out of place—like “NOAA”—sound it out. That nudge often exposes a homophone group.
  • Logo checks: If a set hints at brands or orgs, mentally visualize their emblems. The “stars” angle is a fast confirm for NASA, the N.F.L., Paramount, and Subaru.

Difficulty and pacing

Today’s set skews moderate: straightforward synonyms, a common prep cluster, and a logo group that’s gettable once you spot one or two. The trickiest part is resisting the urge to bundle “ready/willing/able” together—classic bait on a board like this. The official Companion lists tester difficulty at 3.4 out of 5, which matches the feel once you separate the overlapping synonyms.

If you want to replay or compare notes, you can open the day’s grid on the game page, and the Companion archive maintains tester difficulty snapshots and single-tile reveals for each puzzle number.