A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #1197
hints & answers for September 20, 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 20, 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 B, C, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BLU-RAY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ROUND FLAT THINGS

Reveal all four words
  • BLU-RAY
  • COASTER
  • SAND DOLLAR
  • TORTILLA

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BLUEGRASS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ASSOCIATED WITH KENTUCKY

Reveal all four words
  • BLUEGRASS
  • BOURBON
  • DERBY
  • FRIED CHICKEN

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BLADE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

VAMPIRE MOVIES

Reveal all four words
  • BLADE
  • NEAR DARK
  • SINNERS
  • TWILIGHT

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

HOVER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___BOARDS YOU RIDE ON

Reveal all four words
  • HOVER
  • SKATE
  • SNOW
  • SURF

Each entry comes before "BOARDS YOU RIDE ON" to form a word, expression or name: HOVER → HOVER BOARDS YOU RIDE ON; SKATE → SKATE BOARDS YOU RIDE ON; SNOW → SNOW BOARDS YOU RIDE ON; SURF → SURF BOARDS YOU RIDE ON.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: ROUND FLAT THINGS
  • Green: ASSOCIATED WITH KENTUCKY
  • Blue: VAMPIRE MOVIES
  • Purple: ___BOARDS YOU RIDE ON

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

ROUND FLAT THINGS

BLU-RAY · COASTER · SAND DOLLAR · TORTILLA

Green

ASSOCIATED WITH KENTUCKY

BLUEGRASS · BOURBON · DERBY · FRIED CHICKEN

Blue

VAMPIRE MOVIES

BLADE · NEAR DARK · SINNERS · TWILIGHT

Purple

___BOARDS YOU RIDE ON

HOVER · SKATE · SNOW · SURF

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.