Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with C, E, S and W. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
CLOSE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
FINISH
Reveal all four words
- CLOSE
- END
- STOP
- WRAP
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1227
hints & answers for October 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.
#1227
This reference always shows October 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.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with M, P, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
MINION belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
LACKEY
Reveal all four words
- MINION
- POODLE
- PUPPET
- STOOGE
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with C, H, P and W. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
CHEVRON belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
MUSTACHES
Reveal all four words
- CHEVRON
- HORSESHOE
- PENCIL
- WALRUS
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with A, B, D and M. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
ARIAL belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
HOMOPHONES OF DISNEY CHARACTERS
Reveal all four words
- ARIAL
- BELL
- DOCK
- MINI
Show categories only
- Yellow: FINISH
- Green: LACKEY
- Blue: MUSTACHES
- Purple: HOMOPHONES OF DISNEY CHARACTERS
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
FINISH
CLOSE · END · STOP · WRAP
Green
LACKEY
MINION · POODLE · PUPPET · STOOGE
Blue
MUSTACHES
CHEVRON · HORSESHOE · PENCIL · WALRUS
Purple
HOMOPHONES OF DISNEY CHARACTERS
ARIAL · BELL · DOCK · MINI
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.