A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #1156
hints & answers for August 10, 2026

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows August 10, 2026. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.

Which group has you stuck?

Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with A, A, H and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

ANY OLD HOW belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

HAPHAZARDLY

Reveal all four words
  • ANY OLD HOW
  • AT RANDOM
  • HELTER-SKELTER
  • WILLY-NILLY

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with M, M, P and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

MAIL DELIVERY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WAYS TO RECEIVE EVENT TICKETS

Reveal all four words
  • MAIL DELIVERY
  • MOBILE TICKET
  • PRINT-AT-HOME
  • WILL CALL

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, B, O and U. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BALANCE DUE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SECTIONS ON AN INVOICE

Reveal all four words
  • BALANCE DUE
  • BILL TO
  • ORDER NUMBER
  • UNIT PRICE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, C, D and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BILLY GOAT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FAMOUS GOATEES

Reveal all four words
  • BILLY GOAT
  • COLONEL SANDERS
  • DOCTOR STRANGE
  • THE DEVIL
Show categories only
  • Yellow: HAPHAZARDLY
  • Green: WAYS TO RECEIVE EVENT TICKETS
  • Blue: SECTIONS ON AN INVOICE
  • Purple: FAMOUS GOATEES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

HAPHAZARDLY

ANY OLD HOW · AT RANDOM · HELTER-SKELTER · WILLY-NILLY

Green

WAYS TO RECEIVE EVENT TICKETS

MAIL DELIVERY · MOBILE TICKET · PRINT-AT-HOME · WILL CALL

Blue

SECTIONS ON AN INVOICE

BALANCE DUE · BILL TO · ORDER NUMBER · UNIT PRICE

Purple

FAMOUS GOATEES

BILLY GOAT · COLONEL SANDERS · DOCTOR STRANGE · THE DEVIL

This puzzle’s recorded solution

The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.

About the answers and hints

Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.

Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.

The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.