A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #1213
hints & answers for October 6, 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 October 6, 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, G and M. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BERKSHIRE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FINANCIAL FIRMS, FOR SHORT

Reveal all four words
  • BERKSHIRE
  • CITI
  • GOLDMAN
  • MERRILL

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

ADIRONDACK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF CHAIRS

Reveal all four words
  • ADIRONDACK
  • EAMES
  • WINDSOR
  • WINGBACK

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

COMFORT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ INN HOTELS

Reveal all four words
  • COMFORT
  • DAYS
  • HAMPTON
  • HOLIDAY

Each entry comes before "INN HOTELS" to form a word, expression or name: COMFORT → COMFORT INN HOTELS; DAYS → DAYS INN HOTELS; HAMPTON → HAMPTON INN HOTELS; HOLIDAY → HOLIDAY INN HOTELS.

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, K, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CATSKILL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ENDING IN TALENTS

Reveal all four words
  • CATSKILL
  • KNICKKNACK
  • PIANOFORTE
  • STABILITY
Show categories only
  • Yellow: FINANCIAL FIRMS, FOR SHORT
  • Green: KINDS OF CHAIRS
  • Blue: ___ INN HOTELS
  • Purple: ENDING IN TALENTS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

FINANCIAL FIRMS, FOR SHORT

BERKSHIRE · CITI · GOLDMAN · MERRILL

Green

KINDS OF CHAIRS

ADIRONDACK · EAMES · WINDSOR · WINGBACK

Blue

___ INN HOTELS

COMFORT · DAYS · HAMPTON · HOLIDAY

Purple

ENDING IN TALENTS

CATSKILL · KNICKKNACK · PIANOFORTE · STABILITY

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.