Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
Keeping your balance is proving difficult.
Show one word
SWAY belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
MOVE UNSTEADILY
Reveal all four words
- SWAY
- TODDLE
- TOTTER
- WOBBLE
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1182
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.
#1182
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
Gentle hint
Listen for calls from the feathered world.
Show one word
COO belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
BIRD ONOMATOPOEIA
Reveal all four words
- COO
- GOBBLE
- HONK
- WARBLE
Blue group
More challenging
Gentle hint
Try the same body-related ending after each one.
Show one word
BOBBLE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
___HEAD
Reveal all four words
- BOBBLE
- HAMMER
- JUG
- SLEEPY
The entries form BOBBLEHEAD, HAMMERHEAD, JUGHEAD and SLEEPYHEAD.
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
Gentle hint
Something sweet is almost there; restore one final letter.
Show one word
COBBLE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
DESSERTS MINUS LAST LETTER
Reveal all four words
- COBBLE
- PI
- TAR
- TORT
Adding the missing final letters gives COBBLER, PIE, TART and TORTE.
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
MOVE UNSTEADILY
SWAY · TODDLE · TOTTER · WOBBLE
Green
BIRD ONOMATOPOEIA
COO · GOBBLE · HONK · WARBLE
Blue
___HEAD
BOBBLE · HAMMER · JUG · SLEEPY
Purple
DESSERTS MINUS LAST LETTER
COBBLE · PI · TAR · TORT
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.