Game #1171 — August 25 brings a tidy mix of surface-level synonyms, sci‑fi staples, Stephen King titles and a sneaky dessert-themed quartet that will make you swap meanings faster than you can say “scoop.”
There are four groups to find today, from the obvious to the subtly tricksy — and one category in particular rewards a lateral leap rather than a literal read.
SPOILER WARNING: The rest of this explainer reveals all four Connections groups and every answer for Game #1171.
Today’s NYT Connections words
Here are the 16 words on the board for Game #1171.
- SUPERFICIAL | HYPERSPACE | HARLEM SHAKE | LICKETY-SPLIT
- RUNNING MAN | TRAFFIC CONE | TIME WARP | LONG WALK
- ONE-DIMENSIONAL | PARALLEL UNIVERSE | GREEN MILE | INSIDE SCOOP
- COSMETIC | SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION | TELEPORTATION | SKIN-DEEP
Today’s NYT Connections hints
Spoiler-light nudges to help you get started.
- 🟡 Yellow: Four words describe things that only have meaning at the surface.
- 🟢 Green: Four entries name classic sci‑fi concepts or modes of travel across space/time.
- 🔵 Blue: Four film titles tied together by a single naming quirk involving the word “The”.
- 🟣 Purple: Each answer ends with a word you’d use when ordering something at an ice‑cream counter.
Today’s NYT Connections group titles
- 🟡 Yellow: “SURFACE-LEVEL”
- 🟢 Green: “SCI-FI PHENOMENA”
- 🔵 Blue: “STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH “THE””
- 🟣 Purple: “ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS”
What are today’s NYT Connections answers?
All four groups and their member words for Game #1171 are listed below.
| Colour | Group | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 🟡 Yellow | SURFACE-LEVEL | COSMETIC, ONE-DIMENSIONAL, SKIN-DEEP, SUPERFICIAL |
| 🟢 Green | SCI-FI PHENOMENA | HYPERSPACE, PARALLEL UNIVERSE, TELEPORTATION, TIME WARP |
| 🔵 Blue | STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH “THE” | GREEN MILE, LONG WALK, RUNNING MAN, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION |
| 🟣 Purple | ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS | HARLEM SHAKE, INSIDE SCOOP, LICKETY-SPLIT, TRAFFIC CONE |
Today’s Connections — expert analysis
The easiest entry points were the Yellow and Green groups. Surface-level synonyms like COSMETIC, SUPERFICIAL and SKIN-DEEP stick out immediately, and the sci‑fi set — HYPERSPACE, PARALLEL UNIVERSE, TELEPORTATION, TIME WARP — reads like a checklist for any science‑fiction fan. Those four come together fast because they share a concrete, modern genre vocabulary.
The real killer is Purple. All four answers end with words you’d use at an ice‑cream counter — SHAKE, SCOOP, SPLIT, CONE — but their surface meanings distract: HARLEM SHAKE reads like a dance craze, INSIDE SCOOP like journalism, LICKETY-SPLIT an idiom about speed, and TRAFFIC CONE a road object. Those literal meanings are effective decoys, and they keep you from noticing the shared ending. Another common trap was semantic overlap: words like RUNNING MAN and TIME WARP can feel genre-adjacent, tempting players to mix sci‑fi with the Stephen King titles — so use your safe guesses to lock down one clean group first.
If you’re stuck on your first move, pick a very literal word for a safe guess — COSMETIC or HYPERSPACE are unlikely to be anything but what they seem and will quickly validate either the Yellow or Green groups.
Difficulty: 3/5 — two straightforward groups and one subtle, misdirection-heavy theme.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Game #1170)
Recap of Game #1170’s groups and answers.
- 🟡 Yellow (FISH): MULLET, PIKE, SOLE, TANG
- 🟢 Green (PRINCIPAL): ARCH, CHIEF, MAIN, PRIME
- 🔵 Blue (PRO-WRESTLING LINGO): FACE, HEEL, JOBBER, KAYFABE
- 🟣 Purple (LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM): BESET, DESERVE, EX-LOVE, EYELET
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is a daily word‑grouping puzzle that presents 16 words and asks players to sort them into four groups of four based on shared attributes. Categories can be literal, lateral, cultural, or linguistic, and one group per puzzle is often the trickiest.
How to play NYT Connections
- Look for an obvious quartet and select those four words first.
- If unsure, make a safe guess on a word with a clear, literal meaning to lock in a group.
- Watch for words that can belong to more than one theme; the trickiest category often depends on a less literal connection.
Past week’s NYT Connections answers
Missed a day? Full solutions from earlier this week, newest first.
Game #1169 — August 23
- 🟡 POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE THINGS: POWDER KEG, TIME BOMB, TINDERBOX, VOLCANO
- 🟢 DOUBLE VOWELS: ANTIFREEZE, BAZAAR, SKIING, VACUUM
- 🔵 MADE WITH POTATOES: HOME FRIES, POTATO BATTERY, VICHYSSOISE, VODKA
- 🟣 HOUSEHOLD STAIN REMOVERS: BAKING SODA, CLUB SODA, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, VINEGAR
Game #1168 — August 22
- 🟡 CARPENTRY TOOLS: CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE, SAW
- 🟢 KINDS OF MELON: BITTER, MUSK, WATER, WINTER
- 🔵 GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS: CONE, JET, MIST, SHOWER
- 🟣 ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE: GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN, SPICE
Game #1167 — August 21
- 🟡 THINGS MOST ANIMALS NEED: NUTRITION, OXYGEN, SLEEP, WATER
- 🟢 CALLS TO BEGIN A PERFORMANCE: ACTION, CURTAIN UP, PLACES, SHOWTIME
- 🔵 ___ KIDS: COMEBACK, KARATE, SUNDANCE, WIMPY
- 🟣 ONCE IN A ___: BLUE MOON, GENERATION, LIFETIME, WHILE
Game #1166 — August 20
- 🟡 KINDS OF PIZZA: DIAVOLA, HAWAIIAN, MEAT LOVERS, WHITE
- 🟢 KINDS OF NUMBERS: ATOMIC, SERIAL, SOCIAL SECURITY, TELEPHONE
- 🔵 SIMILARLY SHAPED TYPOGRAPHICAL MARKS: APOSTROPHE, CEDILLA, COMMA, OKINA
- 🟣 STARTING WITH CHINESE ZODIAC ANIMALS: DRAGONFLY, OXFORD, PIGMENT, RATCHET
Game #1165 — August 19
- 🟡 PIECE OF CAKE: BREEZE, CINCH, PICNIC, SNAP
- 🟢 CONCEAL: BLANKET, HIDE, MASK, OBSCURE
- 🔵 WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORT NAMES: BASE, BASKET, FOOT, PICKLE
- 🟣 HOMOPHONES OF CGI-ANIMATED FILMS: ANTS, COCOA, RHEO, SEOUL
Game #1164 — August 18
- 🟡 SEEN AT A MOVIE PREMIERE: LIMOUSINE, PAPARAZZI, RED CARPET, VELVET ROPE
- 🟢 PJS: PETROLEUM JELLY, POETIC JUSTICE, PRACTICAL JOKE, PRIVATE JET
- 🔵 THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE: BASKETBALL, ORANGUTAN, SWEET POTATO, TRAFFIC CONE
- 🟣 THINGS THAT ARE GRITTY: COWBOY COFFEE, FILM NOIR, FLYERS MASCOT, SANDPAPER
More daily puzzle help from HashTechWave
- Today’s NYT Strands hints, spangram and answers
- Today’s NYT Spelling Bee answers and pangram
- Today’s Wordle hints, clues and answer
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What time does a new NYT Connections puzzle unlock?
A brand-new puzzle drops every single night at midnight local time across your specific region’s time zone on NYT Connection official site.
Why do some words seem to fit into two different groups?
The puzzle is specifically designed to include “decoys” or overlapping vocabulary. Always look for a backup configuration of words before locking in an early guess to protect your attempt counter.
Can I review answers to older puzzles?
Yes — we keep the past week of solutions right here on this page. Scroll up to the “Past week’s NYT Connections answers” section for every recent grid, newest first, plus a full breakdown of yesterday’s puzzle.
