New York Times Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Today’s groups use related meanings and a word placed before each entry.
NYT Connections #1224 Puzzle Overview: 17 October 2026
ALERT, SHOT, and KING each have more than one everyday meaning. Check whether a possible match works for all four words before settling on it.
The sixteen words on today’s board are: BREA, KING, SNAP, PING, STILL, PAZ, SNOW, SHOT, BOHÈME, FIDDLER, ALERT, PRINT, CHIME, SCALA, HERMIT, DING.
NYT Connections Hints: 17 October 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 what a device might do to get your attention.
- These can be sounds or messages from a phone or computer.
Step 2 · one word
CHIME
Step 3 · category
DIGITAL NOTIFICATIONS
Step 4 · all four words
ALERT, CHIME, DING, PING
Green group
Step 1 · two hints
- Think about images.
- Each term can refer to an image captured by a camera or a copy of one.
Step 2 · one word
Step 3 · category
PHOTO
Step 4 · all four words
PRINT, SHOT, SNAP, STILL
Blue group
Step 1 · two hints
- These name members of the same animal group.
- Think of clawed crustaceans.
Step 2 · one word
FIDDLER
Step 3 · category
KINDS OF CRABS
Step 4 · all four words
FIDDLER, HERMIT, KING, SNOW
Purple group
Step 1 · two hints
- The link is wordplay: look for a word placed in front.
- The same short article goes before each entry to make a familiar name.
Step 2 · one word
BOHÈME
Step 3 · category
LA ___
Step 4 · all four words
BOHÈME, BREA, PAZ, SCALA
NYT Connections Answers: 17 October 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)
ALERT, CHIME, DING, and PING relate to digital notifications. PRINT, SHOT, SNAP, and STILL can each refer to a photo. FIDDLER, HERMIT, KING, and SNOW each name a kind of crab.
Put “La” before each purple word: La BOHÈME, La BREA, La PAZ, and La SCALA.
Yesterday’s groups for 16 October 2026
- SURFACE IMPERFECTIONS: CHIP, MARK, NICK, SCRATCH
- LANDLOCKED COUNTRIES: CHAD, HUNGARY, LAOS, PARAGUAY
- EUROPEAN COUNTRIES MINUS A LETTER: BULGARI, CYRUS, HUNGRY, SPAN
- STARTING WITH WORDS FOR “STYLISH”: CHICKEN, COOLIDGE, HIPPO, SMARTIES
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: 16 Oct · 15 Oct · 14 Oct · 13 Oct · 12 Oct · 11 Oct · 10 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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