Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing ‘today’s game’ while others are playing ‘yesterday’s’. If you’re looking for Sunday’s puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, November 8 (game #1246).
Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #1247) – today’s words
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
- STEAK KNIFE
- CARD SHARK
- CON JOB
- BOOTCUT
- NAVY SEAL
- SHELL GAME
- MINT LEAF
- GAMMA RAY
- TAPE DISPENSER
- LOW-RISE
- FUN SPONGE
- RIP-OFF
- SKINNY
- FLIMFLAM
- GRAPEFRUIT
- SPOON
- DISTRESSED
NYT Connections today (game #1247) – hint #1 – group hints
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW:Designed to trick you
- GREEN:Well worn trousers
- BLUE:Share a jagged element
- PURPLE:Marine life second
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #1247) – hint #2 – group answers
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW:DECEITFUL SCHEME
- GREEN:JEANS DESCRIPTORS
- BLUE:THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES
- PURPLE:ENDING IN SEA CREATURES
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1247) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections, game #1247, are…
- YELLOW: DECEITFUL SCHEME:CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF, SHELL GAME
- GREEN: JEANS DESCRIPTORS:BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, SKINNY
- BLUE: THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES:GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, STEAK KNIFE, TAPE DISPENSER
- PURPLE: ENDING IN SEA CREATURES:CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY, NAVY SEAL
- My rating: Easy
- My score:Perfect
It was hard not to begin with GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, as it seemed such an utterly random tile, and after I’d added MINT LEAF to the more obvious THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES I was convinced that I’d landed a Purple First.
Alas, this foursome was only classed as a blue — although I’d argue that it was a more difficult spot than ENDING IN SEA CREATURES; congratulations if you chose to start here.
My failure to get the yellow came down to not realizing what SHELL GAME is — although after Googling it afterwards I remembered that as a gullible tourist I had fallen for it once in New Orleans and lost $20 guessing the location of a small ball. Fortunately, it’s the kind of trick you only fall for once, but there’s always a new fool, as it’s been around since Ancient Greece.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Sunday, November 8, 2026, game #1246)
- YELLOW: HAIR SALON SERVICES:BLOWOUT, COLOR, EXTENSIONS, TRIM
- GREEN: MUSCULAR:BUILT, CUT, JACKED, RIPPED
- BLUE: THINGS THAT HELP MAKE SENSE OF A SITUATION:CLARITY, CONTEXT, INSIGHT, PERSPECTIVE
- PURPLE: VEGETABLE HOMOPHONES:CARAT, CHARRED, KORN, LEAK
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don’t technically need to solve the final one, as you’ll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What’s more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
