New York Times Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Today’s groups use shared meanings, a prefix added to each entry, and words hidden at the ends of entries.
NYT Connections #1226 Puzzle Overview: 19 October 2026
BOIL, GAS, and RIB each have more than one everyday meaning. Test each meaning against the other entries before placing a word.
The sixteen words on today’s board are: MOHAWK, MUFFIN, HOT AIR, BALLOON, RAVE, WIND, FLURRY, STEAM, GAS, RIB, FUME, ALIBIS, BOIL, BLATHER, ESCROW, NUGGETS.
NYT Connections Hints: 19 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 of intense anger.
- Each can be a verb for showing anger.
Step 2 · one word
FUME
Step 3 · category
SEETHE
Step 4 · all four words
BOIL, FUME, RAVE, STEAM
Green group
Step 1 · two hints
- These can refer to speech with little substance.
- Think of rambling speech or empty claims.
Step 2 · one word
BLATHER
Step 3 · category
ALL TALK
Step 4 · all four words
BLATHER, GAS, HOT AIR, WIND
Blue group
Step 1 · two hints
- The link is wordplay at the start of each entry.
- Add the same short prefix to make four menu items from one restaurant chain.
Step 2 · one word
FLURRY
Step 3 · category
“MC” THINGS AT MCDONALD’S
Step 4 · all four words
FLURRY, MUFFIN, NUGGETS, RIB
Purple group
Step 1 · two hints
- The link is hidden at the end of each entry.
- The final letters spell four different feathered animals.
Step 2 · one word
ALIBIS
Step 3 · category
ENDING IN BIRDS
Step 4 · all four words
ALIBIS, BALLOON, ESCROW, MOHAWK
Less common words explained
- BLATHER: To blather is to speak at length without saying much.
- ESCROW: Escrow is money or property held by a third party until agreed conditions are met.
NYT Connections Answers: 19 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)
RAVE can mean to speak wildly, which suggests ALL TALK. Its sense of expressing anger puts it in SEETHE.
Put Mc before FLURRY, MUFFIN, NUGGETS, and RIB to make McFlurry, McMuffin, McNuggets, and McRib.
ALIBIS ends in IBIS, BALLOON in LOON, ESCROW in CROW, and MOHAWK in HAWK.
Yesterday’s groups for 18 October 2026
- PLACES TO STORE CLOTHES: BUREAU, CHEST, TRUNK, WARDROBE
- THINGS THAT COME IN STICKS: BUTTER, DEODORANT, DYNAMITE, INCENSE
- FAMOUS PERFUMES: ANGEL, COCO, OBSESSION, OPIUM
- STARTING WITH THINGS THAT CLOUD THE AIR: FOGERTY, HAZEL, MISTER, VAPORETTO
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: 18 Oct · 17 Oct · 16 Oct · 15 Oct · 14 Oct · 13 Oct · 12 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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