In New York Times Connections, sort 16 words into four groups of four. Today’s groups use shared shapes, objects with similar supports, forms of digital advertising, and a word that follows each entry.
NYT Connections #1231 Puzzle Overview: 24 October 2026
COMIC, BANNER, and SPACE each have more than one meaning. Consider alternate meanings before committing to a set.
The sixteen words on today’s board are: COMIC, SALAD, BACON, SPARKLER, POPSICLE, POP-UP, CANDY, HOBBY HORSE, BANNER, PINWHEEL, SPACE, FILM, INTERSTITIAL, SPORTS, MÖBIUS, OVERLAY.
NYT Connections Hints: 24 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
- Look for a shape shared across different subjects.
- Think of long, narrow forms found in food, cartoons, photography, and geometry.
Step 2 · one word
BACON
Step 3 · category
KINDS OF STRIPS
Step 4 · all four words
BACON, COMIC, FILM, MÖBIUS
Green group
Step 1 · two hints
- Look at how these objects are held or supported.
- A toy, a frozen treat, a spinning decoration, and a small firework share a similar support.
Step 2 · one word
HOBBY HORSE
Step 3 · category
THINGS ON STICKS
Step 4 · all four words
HOBBY HORSE, PINWHEEL, POPSICLE, SPARKLER
Blue group
Step 1 · two hints
- Think about what appears while browsing websites.
- These are different ways a paid message can appear on a screen.
Step 2 · one word
INTERSTITIAL
Step 3 · category
ONLINE AD FORMATS
Step 4 · all four words
BANNER, INTERSTITIAL, OVERLAY, POP-UP
Purple group
Step 1 · two hints
- The same word can follow each entry.
- The added word creates names for a sweet, a self-serve food station, a keyboard key, and a place to watch games.
Step 2 · one word
CANDY
Step 3 · category
___ BAR
Step 4 · all four words
CANDY, SALAD, SPACE, SPORTS
Less common words explained
- INTERSTITIAL: In advertising, this means an advertisement shown between pages or stages of an app, often filling the screen.
NYT Connections Answers: 24 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)
BANNER can mean a cloth sign carried on poles, so it can suggest THINGS ON STICKS. Here it belongs to ONLINE AD FORMATS, alongside INTERSTITIAL, OVERLAY, and POP-UP.
Each yellow entry pairs with “strip.” A BACON strip is a slice of meat, a COMIC strip tells a story in panels, and a FILM strip is a length of photographic material. A MÖBIUS strip is a loop with a half-twist and just one side.
Each purple entry takes “bar” after it. A CANDY bar is a sweet, a SALAD bar is a self-serve food station, the SPACE bar is a keyboard key, and a SPORTS bar is a place to watch games.
Yesterday’s groups for 23 October 2026
- FORTHRIGHT: DIRECT, FRANK, OPEN, VOCAL
- THINGS YOU INSTALL ON A COMPUTER: DRIVER, EXTENSION, PLUGIN, UPDATE
- QUANTITIES IN A FORMULA FOR POWER: DISTANCE, FORCE, POWER, TIME
- ___ TAP: DOUBLE, LOVE, PHONE, SPINAL
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: 23 Oct · 22 Oct · 21 Oct · 20 Oct · 19 Oct · 18 Oct · 17 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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