New York Times Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Today’s groups use types of footwear, plants, a shared shape, and a final-letter spelling change.
NYT Connections #1243 Puzzle Overview: 05 November 2026
PLATFORM, ROSE, and RUN each have more than one meaning. Check that all four words fit the same connection before submitting a group.
The sixteen words on today’s board are: RAINDROP, ROSE, WHISKER, KITTEN, GIG, PEAR, SPIKE, NARCISSUS, WEDGE, RUN, LOTUS, UVULA, BRANDO, ANEMONE, SPEEDBAG, PLATFORM.
NYT Connections Hints: 05 November 2026
Each of the four color groups below opens in four steps: hints, one word, the category name, then all four words. Stop at the step that gives enough help.
Yellow group
Step 1 · two hints
- Think about footwear.
- Focus on the part beneath the back of a shoe.
Step 2 · one word
KITTEN
Step 3 · category
KINDS OF HEELS
Step 4 · all four words
KITTEN, PLATFORM, SPIKE, WEDGE
Green group
Step 1 · two hints
- Think about things grown in gardens.
- These plants produce blossoms.
Step 2 · one word
ANEMONE
Step 3 · category
FLOWERS
Step 4 · all four words
ANEMONE, LOTUS, NARCISSUS, ROSE
Blue group
Step 1 · two hints
- Look for a shared outline.
- Think of a shape with a rounded bottom that tapers toward the top.
Step 2 · one word
PEAR
Step 3 · category
TEARDROP-SHAPED THINGS
Step 4 · all four words
PEAR, RAINDROP, SPEEDBAG, UVULA
Purple group
Step 1 · two hints
- The link involves wordplay at the ends.
- Replace the final letter of each to get a type of alcoholic drink.
Step 2 · one word
BRANDO
Step 3 · category
LIQUORS WITH LAST LETTERS CHANGED
Step 4 · all four words
BRANDO, GIG, RUN, WHISKER
Less common words explained
- ANEMONE: An anemone is a plant with delicate, colorful blossoms.
- NARCISSUS: A narcissus is a plant grown from a bulb, such as a daffodil.
- UVULA: The uvula is the small piece of tissue that hangs at the back of the mouth.
NYT Connections Answers: 05 November 2026
Step 4 of each group above holds its answer. The full solved grid and notes on today’s tricky words are folded below.
Full solved grid
Tricky words (spoilers)
SPIKE can mean a cluster of blossoms, so it may suggest FLOWERS. Here it belongs to KINDS OF HEELS with KITTEN, PLATFORM, and WEDGE.
The purple group changes the last letter of a liquor’s name: brandy becomes BRANDO, gin becomes GIG, rum becomes RUN, and whiskey becomes WHISKER.
Yesterday’s groups for 4 November 2026
- TRIANGULAR PRISMS WITH A SHARP EDGE: DOORSTOP, FLATIRON BUILDING, PIE SLICE, WEDGE
- WORDS AFTER “DO NOT” ON A CARE LABEL: BLEACH, IRON, TUMBLE DRY, WRING
- MOVE IDLY, WITH “AROUND”: LOLL, POKE, PUTTER, SHUFFLE
- FIRE___: CRACKER, FLY, WOOD, WORKS
More Connections: Yesterday’s puzzle · Play Connections on The New York Times
Also today: Wordle · Strands · Pips · Phrazle · Quordle · Keyword · Colordle · Unwordle · Hurdle · NYT Crossword · NYT Mini · NYT Midi · Jumble · Spelling Bee · Letter Boxed · Parseword · Poeltl
Earlier days: 4 Nov · 3 Nov · 2 Nov · 1 Nov · 31 Oct · 30 Oct · 29 Oct
Questions about Connections
When does Connections change to a new puzzle?
A new puzzle arrives at midnight in the player’s own time zone.
How many tries does a player get in Connections?
The game ends after four mistakes.
Where can a person play Connections?
Play on The New York Times Games site or in the NYT Games app: Connections.
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