ConnectionsHint

NYT Connections · Puzzle #1183

Connections Hints & Answers

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Stuck on today's puzzle? Start with a gentle hint for each group, reveal the category when you need more, or open the full solution below. No spoilers until you tap.

Today's 16 words

  • DIRECTOR'S CUT
  • COURT SCRIBE
  • USB PORT
  • FULL AUTHORITY
  • PIZZA SLICE
  • CARD SLOT
  • HEADPHONE JACK
  • UPC CODE
  • SAT SCORE
  • CARTE BLANCHE
  • ATM MACHINE
  • OPTICAL DRIVE
  • BLANK CHECK
  • FREE REIGN
  • PIN NUMBER
  • LCD DISPLAY

Hints for each group

Reveal only as much as you want: a nudge, then the category name, then the four words.

Group 1Yellow · Straightforward
💡 Show hint
All four belong to one category — think about what type of thing they are.
🏷️ Show category
UNRESTRICTED PERMISSION
✅ Show the four words
BLANK CHECK, CARTE BLANCHE, FREE REIGN, FULL AUTHORITY
Group 2Green · Medium
💡 Show hint
All four belong to one category — think about what type of thing they are.
🏷️ Show category
PLACES TO INSERT SOMETHING INTO ON A COMPUTER
✅ Show the four words
CARD SLOT, HEADPHONE JACK, OPTICAL DRIVE, USB PORT
Group 3Blue · Tricky
💡 Show hint
All four belong to one category — think about what type of thing they are.
🏷️ Show category
ABBREVIATIONS FOLLOWED BY REDUNDANT WORD
✅ Show the four words
ATM MACHINE, LCD DISPLAY, PIN NUMBER, UPC CODE
Group 4Purple · Trickiest
💡 Show hint
Wordplay: each word hides a shorter word at its end.
🏷️ Show category
ENDING WITH WAYS TO CARVE A SURFACE
✅ Show the four words
COURT SCRIBE, DIRECTOR'S CUT, PIZZA SLICE, SAT SCORE

Full answers

⚠️ Reveal all answers for Sunday, September 6, 2026

UNRESTRICTED PERMISSION

BLANK CHECK · CARTE BLANCHE · FREE REIGN · FULL AUTHORITY

PLACES TO INSERT SOMETHING INTO ON A COMPUTER

CARD SLOT · HEADPHONE JACK · OPTICAL DRIVE · USB PORT

ABBREVIATIONS FOLLOWED BY REDUNDANT WORD

ATM MACHINE · LCD DISPLAY · PIN NUMBER · UPC CODE

ENDING WITH WAYS TO CARVE A SURFACE

COURT SCRIBE · DIRECTOR'S CUT · PIZZA SLICE · SAT SCORE

How to use these hints

Each group has three levels of help. Show hint gives you a clue with no words named — enough to get unstuck. Still lost? Show category names the connection, and Show the four words confirms the group. Reveal one group at a time and you can finish with a nudge instead of the whole answer.

What is NYT Connections?

Connections is a daily word game from The New York Times. You're given 16 words and must sort them into four hidden groups of four, where each group shares a connection. It sounds simple, but words are deliberately placed to fit more than one group — the challenge is spotting the real link. You get four mistakes before the game ends.

What the four colors mean

  • YellowStraightforward
  • GreenMedium
  • BlueTricky
  • PurpleTrickiest

Purple is famous for wordplay: hidden words, homophones, or a word that completes a phrase. When a group won't click, it's often the trickiest color hiding in plain sight.

Tips to solve Connections

  • Start with the group you're most sure of, but don't submit until you've found a home for all 16 words.
  • Watch for overlap traps — a word that seems to fit yellow may really belong to purple.
  • Look for wordplay: hidden words, homophones, or a shared word that finishes a phrase.
  • Solve the other three groups first; the last four words sort themselves.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to today's Connections?

The full solution — all four categories and their words — is in the “Reveal all answers” box above. We keep it behind a click so you can peek only when you want to.

How many mistakes can you make in Connections?

Four. Each wrong group of four costs a life, and you lose after four mistakes — so use the hints to confirm a group before you commit.

What do the Connections colors mean?

Yellow is the most straightforward group, green is a step harder, blue is tricky, and purple is the trickiest — often involving wordplay, hidden words, or a twist.

When does a new Connections puzzle come out?

The New York Times releases a new Connections puzzle every day at midnight in your local time. We post fresh hints for it each morning.