Issue #1166 Thu 20 Aug
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — August 20, 2026
Today's grid requires a bit of patience as the categories slowly reveal their internal logic. You will find that keeping an open mind about word origins pays off.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The delivery box arrives, the lid flips open, and you debate who gets the slice with the most toppings.
Culinary varieties
Examples of one named set
Members are 5–11 letters; first letters D, H, M, W.
KINDS OF PIZZA
One is DIAVOLA.
DIAVOLA · HAWAIIAN · MEAT LOVERS · WHITE
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
The long, tired wait at the DMV while you verify the digits on your forms.
Numerical identifiers
Items sharing one feature
Members are 6–15 letters; first letters A, S, T.
KINDS OF NUMBERS
One is ATOMIC.
ATOMIC · SERIAL · SOCIAL SECURITY · TELEPHONE
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
A smudge of ink on the page that looks like a stray mark, until you realize it is meant to change your pronunciation.
Linguistic symbols
Items sharing one feature
Members are 5–10 letters; first letters A, C, O.
SIMILARLY SHAPED TYPOGRAPHICAL MARKS
One is APOSTROPHE.
APOSTROPHE · CEDILLA · COMMA · OKINA
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
A stray calendar page from a restaurant, left on the counter after the new year begins.
Wordplay group
Each starts with a hidden item
Members are 6–9 letters; first letters D, O, P, R.
STARTING WITH CHINESE ZODIAC ANIMALS
One is DRAGONFLY.
DRAGONFLY · OXFORD · PIGMENT · RATCHET
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
KINDS OF PIZZADIAVOLA · HAWAIIAN · MEAT LOVERS · WHITE
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Reveal the green group
KINDS OF NUMBERSATOMIC · SERIAL · SOCIAL SECURITY · TELEPHONE
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Reveal the blue group
SIMILARLY SHAPED TYPOGRAPHICAL MARKSAPOSTROPHE · CEDILLA · COMMA · OKINA
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Reveal the violet group
STARTING WITH CHINESE ZODIAC ANIMALSDRAGONFLY · OXFORD · PIGMENT · RATCHET
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on August 20, 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 20, 2026, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on August 20, 2026?
NYT Connections on August 20, 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 20, 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 #1166?
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