A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #1168
hints & answers for August 22, 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 22, 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 C, H, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CHISEL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CARPENTRY TOOLS

Reveal all four words
  • CHISEL
  • HAMMER
  • PLANE
  • SAW

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BITTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF MELON

Reveal all four words
  • BITTER
  • MUSK
  • WATER
  • WINTER

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, J, M and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CONE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS

Reveal all four words
  • CONE
  • JET
  • MIST
  • SHOWER

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

GILMORE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE

Reveal all four words
  • GILMORE
  • GOLDEN
  • MEAN
  • SPICE

Each entry comes before "GIRLS OF POP CULTURE" to form a word, expression or name: GILMORE → GILMORE GIRLS OF POP CULTURE; GOLDEN → GOLDEN GIRLS OF POP CULTURE; MEAN → MEAN GIRLS OF POP CULTURE; SPICE → SPICE GIRLS OF POP CULTURE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: CARPENTRY TOOLS
  • Green: KINDS OF MELON
  • Blue: GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS
  • Purple: ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

CARPENTRY TOOLS

CHISEL · HAMMER · PLANE · SAW

Green

KINDS OF MELON

BITTER · MUSK · WATER · WINTER

Blue

GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS

CONE · JET · MIST · SHOWER

Purple

___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE

GILMORE · GOLDEN · MEAN · SPICE

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.