A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #1187
hints & answers for September 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 September 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, K, L and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

ACTINIUM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CHEMICAL ELEMENTS

Reveal all four words
  • ACTINIUM
  • KRYPTON
  • LEAD
  • SULFUR

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

AIR CONDITIONER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW

Reveal all four words
  • AIR CONDITIONER
  • CATIO
  • CLOTHESLINE
  • FLOWER BOX

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

ATLANTIC CITY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS

Reveal all four words
  • ATLANTIC CITY
  • BADLANDS
  • BORN TO RUN
  • THUNDER ROAD

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

ADULT CONTEMPORARY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"

Reveal all four words
  • ADULT CONTEMPORARY
  • ALTERNATING CURRENT
  • REPRESENT
  • SEXTANT
Show categories only
  • Yellow: CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
  • Green: WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW
  • Blue: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS
  • Purple: ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

CHEMICAL ELEMENTS

ACTINIUM · KRYPTON · LEAD · SULFUR

Green

WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW

AIR CONDITIONER · CATIO · CLOTHESLINE · FLOWER BOX

Blue

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS

ATLANTIC CITY · BADLANDS · BORN TO RUN · THUNDER ROAD

Purple

ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"

ADULT CONTEMPORARY · ALTERNATING CURRENT · REPRESENT · SEXTANT

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.