Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
Think about their overall three-dimensional shape.
Show one word
BOWLING BALL belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SPHERICAL THINGS
Reveal all four words
- BOWLING BALL
- EYE
- MOON
- ORANGE
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1181
hints & answers for September 4, 2026
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#1181
This reference always shows September 4, 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.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
Gentle hint
Split each menu item into its two food-related words.
Show one word
CAKE DONUT belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS
Reveal all four words
- CAKE DONUT
- CANDY CORN
- CHERRY TOMATO
- PIZZA PIE
Both parts of each two-word food name are themselves food names.
Blue group
More challenging
Gentle hint
A rather slippery branch of the fish family.
Show one word
CONGER belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
KINDS OF EELS
Reveal all four words
- CONGER
- GULPER
- MORAY
- RIBBON
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
Gentle hint
Ignore punctuation, then remove the outside letters to find something wearable.
Show one word
CRINGY belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS
Reveal all four words
- CRINGY
- OPINE
- STIED
- THAT'S
Removing the outside letters leaves RING, PIN, TIE and HAT.
Show categories only
- Yellow: SPHERICAL THINGS
- Green: FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS
- Blue: KINDS OF EELS
- Purple: ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
SPHERICAL THINGS
BOWLING BALL · EYE · MOON · ORANGE
Green
FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS
CAKE DONUT · CANDY CORN · CHERRY TOMATO · PIZZA PIE
Blue
KINDS OF EELS
CONGER · GULPER · MORAY · RIBBON
Purple
ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS
CRINGY · OPINE · STIED · THAT'S
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.
Continue from this date
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.