Another Monday, another Connections puzzle threatening to put your streak on hold. If today’s 16 words have you scratching your head, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with hints first, followed by the complete answers for NYT Connections puzzle #1184, published on September 7, 2026.
Connections is The New York Times’ daily word-grouping puzzle and has quickly become a favorite alongside Wordle. Each day, you’re given 16 words and need to split them into four groups of four. Sounds simple enough, right? The problem is that plenty of words can seemingly belong to multiple groups, while others are thrown in specifically to mislead you.
You get four incorrect guesses before the game is over, so there’s a little room for error. Still, taking a moment to look for the bigger picture can save you from burning through your attempts.
Here are today’s hints and answers, depending on how much help you need.
Today’s NYT Connections Hints for September 7, 2026
Not ready to see the answers just yet? Start with these category hints. They should give you a push in the right direction without completely giving the game away.
- Yellow (easiest): Think of stories that are exaggerated, stretched, or not exactly true.
- Green: Look at the different parts that make up a particular piece of women’s clothing.
- Blue: These words all have a connection to the same type of tree.
- Purple (hardest): Pay close attention to the beginning of each word. You’ll find Disney characters hiding there.
Got them all? Nice. If one or two groups are still giving you trouble, the complete solution is below.
NYT Connections Answers for September 7, 2026
Here are the four categories and all 16 answers for puzzle #1184.
Yellow Group: Quite the Saga
FABRICATION, FISH STORY, TALL TALE, YARN
This is probably the easiest group to spot. Each word or phrase can describe a made-up, exaggerated, or embellished story.
Green Group: Parts of a Bra
CUP, HOOK, STRAP, UNDERWIRE
Once you see the connection, this group is pretty straightforward. Each word refers to a physical part of a bra.
Blue Group: Associated with Pine Trees
CAR AIR FRESHENER, CHRISTMAS, NEEDLES, TURPENTINE
This group is a little more deceptive because the four answers don’t immediately look related.
A pine scent is commonly used in car air fresheners, while pine trees are strongly associated with Christmas. Needles are, of course, found on pine trees, and turpentine is traditionally produced from pine resin.
Purple Group: Starting with Disney Characters
PLUTONIUM, SCAR TISSUE, STITCH MARKER, TRAMPOLINE
As you’d expect from the purple category, this is where things get sneaky.
Each answer begins with the name of a Disney character:
Pluto + nium = PLUTONIUM
Scar + tissue = SCAR TISSUE
Stitch + marker = STITCH MARKER
Tramp + oline = TRAMPOLINE
The last one refers to Tramp from Lady and the Tramp.
This kind of wordplay is exactly what makes the purple group so difficult. The character names are tucked into longer words or phrases, making the connection easy to miss if you’re looking at the answers as a whole.
Quick Answers Recap
- Yellow Group: Quite the Saga – FABRICATION, FISH STORY, TALL TALE, YARN
- Green Group: Parts of a Bra – CUP, HOOK, STRAP, UNDERWIRE
- Blue Group: Associated with Pine Trees – CAR AIR FRESHENER, CHRISTMAS, NEEDLES, TURPENTINE
- Purple Group: Starting with Disney Characters – PLUTONIUM, SCAR TISSUE, STITCH MARKER, TRAMPOLINE
Why NYT Connections Gets Trickier
The four Connections groups are color-coded according to their difficulty. Yellow is generally the most obvious, while purple tends to be the most challenging.
That pattern can actually help when you’re stuck. Today’s yellow and green groups are fairly literal, while the blue group requires a little more lateral thinking. Purple, meanwhile, relies on wordplay.
Finding the easier groups first reduces the number of words you’re dealing with and makes the remaining connections easier to spot.
Tips for Solving Connections Faster
Want to make fewer mistakes on future puzzles? A few simple habits can help:
- Look for unusual words. An oddly specific answer may be hiding in a wordplay-based group.
- Be careful with overlaps. Some words can appear to fit several categories, and that’s usually intentional.
- Don’t force a group too early. Having three strong matches doesn’t always mean you’ve found the correct fourth word.
- Use your guesses wisely. If you’re unsure, work on the other groups first and come back to the questionable words later.
Final Thoughts
That’s everything for NYT Connections puzzle #1184 on September 7, 2026.
The purple category was easily the biggest curveball today, with Disney characters hidden at the beginning of otherwise unrelated words. If that one took you a few attempts to crack, you certainly weren’t alone.
Check back tomorrow for the next batch of Connections hints and answers, and visit GamerUrge for more daily puzzle guides, gaming news, and walkthroughs.
