Skip to content
Puzzle #1,250

Connections Hint

Thursday, November 12, 2026

Spoiler-safe hints for NYT Connections. One nudge per group, then the four category names, then the full answer.

Spoiler-safe. Nothing is revealed until you tap it.

Today's 16 words

the grid, ungrouped
GOOD HEAVENSGREAT SCOTTHOLY SMOKESJIMINY CRICKETCHANGE PURSEFLUX CAPACITORSHIFT DRESSSWING SETARCTIC CHARCOMEDY ROASTDOC BROWNYOU'RE TOASTGLADIATOR SANDALSMARTY MCFLYMOONLIGHT SONATAROCKY ROAD

Hints by group

reveal only what you need
Yellow groupeasiest
See a hint
One answer is GOOD HEAVENS
See the category
"GADZOOKS!"
See the 4 words
GOOD HEAVENS, GREAT SCOTT, HOLY SMOKES, JIMINY CRICKET
Green groupmedium
See a hint
One answer is CHANGE PURSE
See the category
STARTING WITH VARIATIONS
See the 4 words
CHANGE PURSE, FLUX CAPACITOR, SHIFT DRESS, SWING SET
Blue grouptricky
See a hint
One answer is ARCTIC CHAR
See the category
ENDING IN WAYS TO COOK THINGS
See the 4 words
ARCTIC CHAR, COMEDY ROAST, DOC BROWN, YOU'RE TOAST
Purple grouphardest
See a hint
One answer is GLADIATOR SANDALS
See the category
STARTING WITH BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS
See the 4 words
GLADIATOR SANDALS, MARTY MCFLY, MOONLIGHT SONATA, ROCKY ROAD

The whole solution

Reveal all four groups
"GADZOOKS!"Yellow
GOOD HEAVENS, GREAT SCOTT, HOLY SMOKES, JIMINY CRICKET
STARTING WITH VARIATIONSGreen
CHANGE PURSE, FLUX CAPACITOR, SHIFT DRESS, SWING SET
ENDING IN WAYS TO COOK THINGSBlue
ARCTIC CHAR, COMEDY ROAST, DOC BROWN, YOU'RE TOAST
STARTING WITH BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERSPurple
GLADIATOR SANDALS, MARTY MCFLY, MOONLIGHT SONATA, ROCKY ROAD

How to use today's hints

Every group on this page sits behind its own tap, so nothing is spoiled before you ask for it. Open See a hint first — it gives you one answer, or the letters the four words begin with, which is usually enough to see where a category is heading. Only open the category name if that fails, and the four words only if you have given up on that group.

Start with yellow, finish with purple

The New York Times ranks the four groups by difficulty: yellow, green, blue, purple. Yellow is the plainest category on the board, and pulling it out takes away four words that were making everything else look ambiguous. Purple is where the wordplay lives — hidden letters, words that only work inside a phrase, a category that turns out to be about categories. Leave it until last and it often solves itself.

Two mistakes worth avoiding

Do not commit to a group just because all four words fit. Connections is built around words that belong to two categories at once, and the editor puts them there deliberately. And when the game tells you that you are one away, do not fire back immediately — change the word you are least sure about, not the one you like most.

Connections Game is an independent fan resource, not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times, which created and owns Connections.