NYT Connections Hint & AnswersPuzzle #1197 · September 20, 2026
Stuck on today's NYT Connections puzzle? Get a single-word clue, a category hint, or the full answer for Puzzle #1197 — you choose exactly how much help you need.
Written by Hint Team · Updated September 20, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Puzzle #1197 (September 20, 2026) is rated Medium difficulty.
- 16 words sort into 4 hidden categories — Yellow (easiest) to Purple (hardest).
- Every word and every category has its own spoiler-free hint below.
- Full answers are revealed only when you tap to see them — nothing spoils automatically.
Today's Tip
Today's NYT Connections puzzle brings together four very different ideas. One group contains things that share a simple physical shape. Another connects to Kentucky through food, culture, sports, and regional identity. The Blue group contains movies about vampires, while the Purple group uses words that can be followed by BOARDS.
Hint For Each Word
Tap any tile to see what it means in today's puzzle — no spoilers.
Hints For All Four Categories
Ordered from easiest to hardest — reveal only as much as you need.
Traps & Misdirects
Words placed on purpose to mislead you — spot these before you burn a guess.
DERBY, SKATE
DERBY can suggest roller derby, making SKATE look like a natural partner. But DERBY belongs to the Kentucky group while SKATE belongs to the Purple board group. Forbes also identified this as one of the puzzle's major red herrings.
BLADE · SKATE
Both can remind you of skating equipment or blades. In the actual puzzle, BLADE belongs to the vampire movie group while SKATE becomes SKATEBOARD.
COASTER, SKATE
COASTER can make you think about something you ride, especially a roller coaster. But here COASTER is simply a round, flat object and belongs with BLU-RAY, SAND DOLLAR, and TORTILLA.
TORTILLA, FRIED CHICKEN
SNOW, SURF
Both are foods, so they can look like the beginning of a food-related category. But TORTILLA belongs to the round flat group while FRIED CHICKEN belongs to the Kentucky group.
BLUEGRASS, BLU-RAY
The similar opening letters can make these two look related. They are not. BLUEGRASS belongs to Kentucky while BLU-RAY is a round flat thing.
BOURBON, FRIED CHICKEN
These are both strongly associated with Kentucky, so they form a useful pair. The challenge is finding BLUEGRASS and DERBY without getting distracted by other tempting combinations.
TWILIGHT, NEAR DARK
Both phrases describe darkness or the transition toward night. That meaning alone does not reveal the group. They belong together because both are vampire movie titles.
SAND DOLLAR, DERBY
Both can look like ordinary nouns rather than category clues. SAND DOLLAR belongs to the physical-shape group while DERBY points to Kentucky.
Today's Full Answers
All four groups, revealed only when you're ready.
Answers are hidden by default so you can solve at your own pace. Tap below when you're ready to see everything.
Stuck on today's NYT Connections puzzle? Our Connections hints help you crack all 16 words into their four correct groups — without spoiling the fun. Start with gentle, spoiler-free clues, and only unlock more as you need them. We'll walk you step by step, from subtle hints to full category reveals and today's complete answers.
How to Use Our NYT Connections Hints
Every player gets stuck at a different point in the puzzle — knowing exactly where you're stuck is the fastest way to find the right hint. Match your situation below, use that hint, and get back to solving.
You Don't Recognize a Word's Meaning
Puzzle editor Wyna Liu often picks words with a specific or unusual meaning, especially in the green, blue, and purple groups. If you don't know what a word means in context, you can't confidently place it.
Use the Word Hint. It explains what that word means for today's puzzle. Just tap any word on the board to open its hint card.
None of the 16 Words Are Clicking Into Groups
Connections categories are built around a theme, not just word meaning — so the link between words isn't always obvious at first glance.
Use the Category Hint. It points you toward the theme of a group without naming the category or listing its words. Start with the Yellow Category Hint — yellow is always the easiest.
You Think You Have a Group, But You're Not Sure
A wrong guess costs you one of your four allowed mistakes, so it pays to confirm before you commit.
Use the Category Name. It reveals the exact name of a group without showing which words belong to it. If your guess matches, go for it; if not, you've dodged a mistake. Tap the color you're testing to see it.
A Word Seems to Fit More Than One Group
Wyna Liu deliberately plants misleading words that look like they belong in more than one category — these trip up more players than anything else in the puzzle.
Use the Traps and Misdirects Hint. It flags the tricky words in today's puzzle and explains why they don't belong where you'd expect.
You Know the Category, Just Not All the Words
You've spotted the theme but can't pin down every word that fits it.
Use the Word Reveal. It uncovers one word at a time, so you only see as much as you need — open your identified category and reveal words one by one until the group is complete.
New to Connections, or want to get better?
The full rules, what each difficulty color means, and strategies for spotting traps live in one place — our complete how-to-play guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Today's Connections hints give you a small clue about each group without revealing the full answers right away. You can use them when you're stuck but still want to solve the puzzle yourself.
Still have a question, or spotted a mistake in today's puzzle? Get in touch.
