Monday’s Connections grid mixes tech jargon with a country music curveball, so it’s easy to lock in the wrong group early. Here are today’s hints, followed by the full answers if you just want to check your work.
What Is NYT Connections?
Connections is the New York Times’ daily word-grouping game. You get 16 words and have to sort them into four hidden groups of four. Each group shares a secret theme, color-coded by difficulty: yellow is easiest, green and blue sit in the middle, and purple is the trickiest. You get four mistakes before the puzzle locks you out, so a few hints can go a long way toward saving your streak.
Today’s Connections Hints (August 17, 2026)
If you want a nudge without spoiling the full answer, start here:
- Yellow – Online talk rooms
- Green – Table commands
- Blue – Classic American music icons
- Purple – Begins with a usual companion
Still stuck? Here’s a bit more detail on each category:
- Yellow – Video call platforms
- Green – Spreadsheet features
- Blue – First names of country music legends
- Purple – Starting with pets
Today’s Connections Answers, Puzzle #1163
Spoilers ahead. Scroll down only if you’re ready for the full solution.
Yellow – Video Call Platforms
HUDDLE, MEET, TEAMS, ZOOM
Green – Spreadsheet Features
FORMULA, FUNCTION, MACRO, SCRIPT
Blue – First Names Of Country Music Legends
DOLLY, JOHNNY, PATSY, WILLIE
Purple – Starting With Pets
BIRDIE, CATTLE, DOGIE, FISHEYE
The purple group is where most people will burn a guess. BIRDIE, CATTLE, DOGIE, and FISHEYE all start with animal-adjacent words hidden inside longer terms: bird, cat, dog, and fish. It’s the kind of “starts with” wordplay Connections leans on for its hardest category, and it’s easy to mistake HUDDLE for a sports-team word instead of clocking it as a video call app.
Tips for Solving Connections Faster
- Start with the group you’re most confident about, even if it’s not yellow. Confidence beats color order.
- Watch for words that could fit two categories. NYT loves planting decoys like this.
- If a word looks like it’s hiding a smaller word inside it, check for a “starts with” or “ends with” pattern before assuming it belongs elsewhere.
- Use the shuffle button if the grid layout is throwing you off. A fresh arrangement can reveal patterns you missed.
Yesterday’s Connections Answers (August 16, #1162)
Catching up from a different time zone? Here’s how puzzle #1162 broke down:
- Musical Performance: Concert, Gig, Set, Show
- Participant: Actor, Agent, Party, Player
- Family Relationship Modifiers: Grand, Great, Half, Step
- Descriptors For Our Human Ancestors: From Neander, Handy, Upright, Wise
Keep Your Streak Going
Bookmark GamerUrge and check back every morning for the latest NYT Connections hints and answers. Missed today’s Wordle or Strands too? We’ve got you covered there as well, so you never have to break a streak again.
