The New York Times Connections puzzle for today offers a manageable challenge, especially for those with an eye for fashion. As one of the NYT Games section’s most popular daily word games, Connections tasks players with identifying the common threads between 16 words. The puzzle resets at midnight, with each new set increasing in difficulty. Below, find hints, strategies, and the full solution for Connections #1177.
How to Play Connections
Connections is the Times’ latest daily word game to become a social media phenomenon. Associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu is credited with helping create the game and bringing it to the publication’s Games section. Accessible on web browsers and mobile devices, the game presents 16 words that must be grouped into four categories of four words each.
Categories can span any topic—book titles, software, country names, and more. While multiple words may appear to fit together, only one correct grouping exists per set. Correctly identifying a group removes those words from the board. An incorrect guess counts as a mistake; players are allowed up to four mistakes before the game ends. The board can be rearranged or shuffled at any time to help spot connections. Each category is color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). Like Wordle, results can be shared on social media.
Hints for Today’s Connections Categories
For players who want a nudge without the full reveal, here are clues for each category’s theme:
- Yellow: Well-rounded
- Green: Tasty
- Blue: Sea creatures
- Purple: They throw a fit
Today’s Connections Categories
If you need more direct assistance, the actual categories for puzzle #1177 are:
- Yellow: Spherical things
- Green: Food whose name is two foods
- Blue: Kinds of eels
- Purple: Accessories inside starting and ending letters
Solution for Connections #1177
This is the final stop before the answers. The solution to today’s puzzle is:
- Spherical things: BOWLING BALL, EYE, MOON, ORANGE
- Food whose name is two foods: CAKE DONUT, CANDY CORN, CHERRY TOMATO, PIZZA PIE
- Kinds of eels: HOT WHEELS, MATCHBOX, MICRO MACHINES, TONKA
- Accessories inside starting and ending letters: AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, SUM
More Daily Puzzle Help
Looking for other NYT game solutions? Check out today’s Wordle answer or get hints for the daily Strands puzzle. For a broader selection of games, visit the Mashable games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. If you missed a previous day, the solution for the latest Connections puzzle is always available.



