New York Times Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Today’s groups use conversational replies, names for everyday objects, animal classifications, and altered movie titles.
NYT Connections #1233 Puzzle Overview: 26 October 2026
CHILLING, WELCOME, and TOY each have more than one meaning. Look for a connection that accounts for all four entries before submitting a group.
The sixteen words on today’s board are: WELCOME, HALLOWEEK, CHILLING, TOY, YOGA, JAWN, SPORTING, PRAYER, PSYCHS, HOUND, MANAGING, WRESTLING, SAME OLD, HOSTED, HERDING, NOT BAD.
NYT Connections Hints: 26 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 casual replies in conversation.
- These expressions tell someone how things are going.
Step 2 · one word
MANAGING
Step 3 · category
RESPONSES TO “HOW ARE YOU?”
Step 4 · all four words
CHILLING, MANAGING, NOT BAD, SAME OLD
Green group
Step 1 · two hints
- Look for a shared word that can follow each entry.
- A word for a floor covering goes after each entry.
Step 2 · one word
PRAYER
Step 3 · category
KINDS OF MATS
Step 4 · all four words
PRAYER, WELCOME, WRESTLING, YOGA
Blue group
Step 1 · two hints
- Think about classifications within a familiar animal species.
- A kennel club uses these labels to organize breeds.
Step 2 · one word
HERDING
Step 3 · category
AKC DOG BREED GROUPS
Step 4 · all four words
HERDING, HOUND, SPORTING, TOY
Purple group
Step 1 · two hints
- Think of film titles with a small spelling change.
- Each entry replaces the final letter of a scary film’s title.
Step 2 · one word
HALLOWEEK
Step 3 · category
HORROR MOVIES WITH LAST LETTER CHANGED
Step 4 · all four words
HALLOWEEK, HOSTED, JAWN, PSYCHS
Less common words explained
- JAWN: JAWN is Philadelphia slang for a person, place, thing, or event.
NYT Connections Answers: 26 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)
CHILLING can mean frightening, so it may suggest the horror-movie group. Here it belongs with the casual replies about how someone is doing.
PRAYER, WELCOME, WRESTLING, and YOGA each pair with “mat”: a prayer mat, welcome mat, wrestling mat, and yoga mat.
HALLOWEEK replaces the final N in Halloween with K. HOSTED replaces the final L in Hostel with D. JAWN replaces the final S in Jaws with N. PSYCHS replaces the final O in Psycho with S.
Yesterday’s groups for 25 October 2026
- STEAL: BOOST, PALM, POCKET, SWIPE
- PASTA SHAPES: BOW TIE, ELBOW, SHELL, WAGON WHEEL
- FICTIONAL TOMS: RIPLEY, SAWYER, SWIFT, THUMB
- THINGS THAT CAN BE SNAPPED: FINGERS, FOOTBALL, GLOW STICK, RUBBER BAND
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: 25 Oct · 24 Oct · 23 Oct · 22 Oct · 21 Oct · 20 Oct · 19 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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