Stuck on today’s Connections puzzle? You’re not alone. Puzzle #1203 has a sneaky purple group that’s tripping up a lot of players today.
If you just want the answers, scroll down to the full breakdown below. If you’d rather work it out yourself with a nudge in the right direction, start with the hints first.
What Is NYT Connections?
Connections is the New York Times’ daily word puzzle. You get 16 words in a grid, and your job is to sort them into four hidden groups of four.
Each group has a theme, and the puzzle ranks them by difficulty using colors. Yellow is the easiest. Purple is usually the weirdest and hardest to spot.
You get four wrong guesses before the game locks you out, so it pays to think before you tap.
Today’s Connections Hints (September 26)
Not ready for the full answers yet? These hints should point you in the right direction without spoiling everything.
- Yellow: Things that make your breath smell better
- Green: Steps in doing laundry, specifically for a dress shirt
- Blue: Physical traits you’d notice in a piece of wood
- Purple: Ways to describe someone being unbothered or calm
That purple one is the classic Connections curveball. It’s not about a literal object. It’s about common phrases.
Why the Purple Group Trips People Up
Purple categories often use wordplay instead of straightforward categories. Today’s group ties together words that pair with expressions describing someone staying composed under pressure.
Words like these can also show up in other, more obvious categories, so it’s easy to guess wrong on your first try. If you’re not sure, it’s smart to lock in your easier groups first and save purple for last.
NYT Connections Answers, September 26, 2026
Here’s the full solution for puzzle #1203.
- Yellow: Breath Fresheners – GUM, MINT, MOUTHWASH, SPRAY
- Green: Things Done to a Dress Shirt at the Laundry – FOLD, PRESS, STARCH, WASH
- Blue: Features of Wood – BURL, GRAIN, KNOTS, RINGS
- Purple: “Cool” Things, in Expressions – BEANS, CAT, CUCUMBER, CUSTOMER
The purple group plays on the phrase “cool as a ___.” Cucumber is the most famous version, but “cool cat,” “cool customer,” and “cool beans” all work the same way. That’s the kind of overlap that makes Connections purple groups so tricky. Several of those words could plausibly fit somewhere else on the board at first glance.
How to Improve at Connections
A few habits make a real difference if you’re trying to keep a streak going:
- Start with the group you’re most confident about, even if it’s not yellow.
- Watch for words with double meanings. Puzzle designers plant at least one on purpose.
- If a word feels like it belongs in two groups, save it for last.
- Use your mistakes wisely. If you get “one away,” swap out your least confident word before guessing again.
Final Thoughts
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle rewards players who look past the obvious categories, especially in the purple group. Wood, laundry, and breath mints were fairly readable today, but the “cool” wordplay group is where most mistakes probably happened.
Come back tomorrow for the next puzzle, and check GamerUrge daily for fresh Connections hints, Wordle help, and the latest gaming news and guides.
