Yesterday · Puzzle #1,295
Yesterday's Connections Answer
Wed, Sep 16, 2026Updated
Spoiler-safe. Nothing is grouped until you open it. Start with a single nudge per group, then the category names, then the full solution only if you need it.
That day's 16 words
the grid, ungroupedLATINLONG JOHN SILVERMARIGOLDSTEAM IRONDIMENSIONNICKELODEONPENNYWISEQUARTERBACKBARRETTCARLOSST. VINCENTWADSWORTHBORATCLINKFRANK-N-FURTERWIDENER
Hints by group
reveal only what you needYellowgroupeasiest
See a hint
Start from STEAM IRON
See the category
ENDING IN METAL ELEMENTS
See the 4 words
LATIN · LONG JOHN SILVER · MARIGOLD · STEAM IRON
Greengroupmedium
See a hint
One answer is QUARTERBACK
See the category
STARTING WITH U.S. COINS
See the 4 words
DIMENSION · NICKELODEON · PENNYWISE · QUARTERBACK
Bluegrouptricky
See a hint
One answer is WADSWORTH
See the category
POETS' MIDDLE NAMES
See the 4 words
BARRETT · CARLOS · ST. VINCENT · WADSWORTH
Purplegrouphardest
See a hint
WIDENER belongs here
See the category
SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTER
See the 4 words
BORAT · CLINK · FRANK-N-FURTER · WIDENER
The four categories
Reveal the four category names
ENDING IN METAL ELEMENTSYellow
STARTING WITH U.S. COINSGreen
POETS' MIDDLE NAMESBlue
SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTERPurple
The full answer
Reveal all four groups
ENDING IN METAL ELEMENTSYellow
LATIN · LONG JOHN SILVER · MARIGOLD · STEAM IRON
STARTING WITH U.S. COINSGreen
DIMENSION · NICKELODEON · PENNYWISE · QUARTERBACK
POETS' MIDDLE NAMESBlue
BARRETT · CARLOS · ST. VINCENT · WADSWORTH
SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTERPurple
BORAT · CLINK · FRANK-N-FURTER · WIDENER
Background & guide
Yesterday's Connections, explained
Here are the four groups from yesterday's Connections, sorted from the easiest yellow group to the trickiest purple. If you came close but missed by one, it was probably the purple category — that's where the New York Times usually hides the wordplay and the misdirection.
Playing today instead? Head to today's hints, where nothing is grouped until you open it. Older puzzles live in the answer archive, grouped by year.
Frequently asked questions
How is yesterday's answer laid out?
Open the reveal to see each of the four groups with its category name and four words, sorted from the easy yellow group to the tricky purple one.
Why is purple usually the hardest group?
Purple is where Connections hides the wordplay — puns, hidden words or a shared pattern rather than a plain theme — so it's the group most players leave for last.
How do the colours rank the groups?
Yellow is the easiest, then green, then blue, and purple is usually the trickiest. The colours are the puzzle's own difficulty order.