NYT Connections Hint & AnswersPuzzle #1204 · September 27, 2026
Stuck on today's NYT Connections puzzle? Get a single-word clue, a category hint, or the full answer for Puzzle #1204 — you choose exactly how much help you need.
Written by Hint Team · Updated September 27, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Puzzle #1204 (September 27, 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 has four completely different themes.
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.
BOOTH, CARRIER
BOOTH can make you think of a phone booth, which creates an obvious connection to telecom. But BOOTH belongs to restaurant seating while CARRIER belongs to the telecom group.
WU-TANG, LOHAN
These two may look like names connected to pop culture because Wu-Tang is strongly associated with music and Lohan looks like a celebrity surname. Their real connection is hidden at the end: TANG and HAN.
CHAIR, STOOL
These are an obvious pair, but you still need BANQUETTE and BOOTH to complete the restaurant seating category.
CARRIER, PROVIDER
Both are strong telecom terms, but their ordinary meanings are broader than telecommunications. Together with NETWORK and OPERATOR, they form the exact industry category.
MARBLE, PLASTER
Both can be used in art and construction, which makes the connection broad. The precise group is sculpture media, completed by BRONZE and CLAY.
CLAY, PLASTER
Both can be molded and shaped, but the puzzle is not simply asking for things that can be molded. Their exact connection is materials used for sculpture.
HOMING, NETWORK
Both can have technical meanings in different contexts. HOMING belongs to Purple because of MING, while NETWORK is part of the telecom group.
BBQING, HOMING, LOHAN, WU-TANG
These four entries have almost nothing in common when you consider their complete meanings. The connection only appears when you inspect their endings and identify QING, MING, HAN, and TANG.
WU-TANG, LOHAN
Wu-Tang can immediately suggest music while Lohan can suggest a celebrity surname. That surface-level association is the trap. The actual clue is their final syllables.
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.
