Issue #1161 Sat 15 Aug
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — August 15, 2026
A steady, deliberate pace works best today. You will find that the grid offers a few initial footholds before the real work begins.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The heavy eyelids during a lecture and the empty feeling in your legs after a long shift. Three hours of sleep and a double espresso.
States of being
Synonyms
Members are 4–8 letters; first letters B, F, S, W.
EXHAUSTED
One is BEAT.
BEAT · FRIED · SPENT · WORN OUT
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
A road map with highlighted sections or the marked-off chapters in a thick novel. You check the progress bar as the bar fills.
Divisions of progress
Synonyms
Members are 3–7 letters; first letters L, P, S.
SEGMENT
One is LEG.
LEG · PHASE · STAGE · STRETCH
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
The final syllable in a word that happens to denote a distance. You look at the dictionary entry and realize the last two letters are a measurement.
Wordplay group
Each ends with a hidden item
Members are 6–9 letters; first letters C, G, H, L.
ENDING IN UNITS OF LENGTH
One is CHAMOMILE.
CHAMOMILE · GRINCH · HOTFOOT · LANYARD
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
The secret agent in a noir film or the way a cat moves across a dark room. You listen for the footsteps, but there is only silence.
Wordplay group
Each ends with a hidden item
Members are 8–10 letters; first letters B, E, H, S.
ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR FOLLOW SECRETLY
One is BEANSTALK.
BEANSTALK · EYESHADOW · HIGHTAIL · SOUNDTRACK
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
EXHAUSTEDBEAT · FRIED · SPENT · WORN OUT
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Reveal the green group
SEGMENTLEG · PHASE · STAGE · STRETCH
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Reveal the blue group
ENDING IN UNITS OF LENGTHCHAMOMILE · GRINCH · HOTFOOT · LANYARD
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Reveal the violet group
ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR FOLLOW SECRETLYBEANSTALK · EYESHADOW · HIGHTAIL · SOUNDTRACK
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on August 15, 2026. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for August 15, 2026, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on August 15, 2026?
NYT Connections on August 15, 2026 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on August 15, 2026?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #1161?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words