Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
Places where people go to work up a sweat.
Show one word
GYMNASIUM belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
EXERCISE FACILITIES
Reveal all four words
- GYMNASIUM
- HEALTH CLUB
- REC CENTER
- YMCA
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1176
hints & answers
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#1176
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
Gentle hint
These help get a bottle ready to serve, or save what remains.
Show one word
AERATOR belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
WINE ACCESSORIES
Reveal all four words
- AERATOR
- CORKSCREW
- DECANTER
- STOPPER
Blue group
More challenging
Gentle hint
Picture the animal in the branding, rather than the products.
Show one word
CADBURY belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
BRANDS WITH BUNNY RABBIT MASCOTS
Reveal all four words
- CADBURY
- ENERGIZER
- PLAYBOY
- TRIX
Each brand has used a rabbit mascot or rabbit symbol.
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
Gentle hint
Imagine a notice pinned up outside a frontier sheriff's office.
Show one word
ALIAS belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
WORDS ON AN OLD WEST WANTED POSTER
Reveal all four words
- ALIAS
- OUTLAW
- REWARD
- WANTED
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
EXERCISE FACILITIES
GYMNASIUM · HEALTH CLUB · REC CENTER · YMCA
Green
WINE ACCESSORIES
AERATOR · CORKSCREW · DECANTER · STOPPER
Blue
BRANDS WITH BUNNY RABBIT MASCOTS
CADBURY · ENERGIZER · PLAYBOY · TRIX
Purple
WORDS ON AN OLD WEST WANTED POSTER
ALIAS · OUTLAW · REWARD · WANTED
Make the connection
Four groups. Just enough help.
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Each group shares something: a meaning, a phrase, a sound, or an unexpected bit of wordplay.
Start with the group that has you stuck. Open its hint, try again, and reveal more only when you need it. Nothing you open will uncover a different group.
Before you spend another guess
- Find all four. Three convincing words can still be a trap. Look for a fourth that fits the same rule.
- Change the meaning. A word can be a noun, a verb, a name, or part of a phrase. Try reading it another way.
- Leave room for overlap. If five words seem to fit, test which one could belong to another group.
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.