What are "red herrings" in NYT Connections?

Red herrings are words that look like they belong to one category but actually belong to another. NYT Connections deliberately includes these overlaps to trip you up - always double-check a word against more than one possible group before submitting.

Can I play past NYT Connections puzzles?

The official NYT archive isn't public, but we publish hints and answers for every puzzle as it drops. Visit our NYT Connections hub to browse past days.

Does NYT Connections use British or American spelling?

American spelling. NYT Connections is published by The New York Times, so answers always follow American English conventions (e.g., "COLOR" rather than "COLOUR").

Daily Connections

Connections #1222: Hints and Answers

Oct 15, 2026

Stuck on today's puzzle? Below you'll find spoiler-free hints, the category themes, and the full answers for today's NYT Connections - scroll as far as you dare.

Play Official NYT Connections

1. A Word From Each Group

Yellow Group

Green Group

Blue Group

Purple Group

2. Today’s Connections Categories

Want a bigger nudge? Tap a group to reveal its theme - the words stay hidden.

3. Today’s Connections Answers

Ready to see the solution? Tap a group to reveal its theme and all four words.

How Did You Do Today?

How many mistakes did you make?

How to Play and Master NYT Connections

While keeping your daily streak alive depends on today's specific word combinations, mastering the core rules and structural patterns of the game can drastically improve your success rate. Below is everything you need to know about the official grid mechanics.

4 Guesses
You get 4 guesses total before the puzzle ends, so choose carefully.
Color-Coded Difficulty
Categories are color-coded by difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (trickiest).
Shuffle the Grid
Use the Shuffle button to rearrange the grid if a pattern isn't clicking for you.
Share Your Results
Once solved, share your color-coded results grid with friends without spoiling the answers.

Connections Tips and FAQ

Usually, yes - purple is designed to be the trickiest group, often relying on wordplay, hidden patterns, or a twist on the obvious meaning of a word. That said, NYT sometimes shuffles the difficulty, so don't assume purple is always the last one you'll solve.

Want more daily connection challenges? Check out our NYT Connections hub for a full archive of past puzzles, hints, and answers.