NYT Connections Game #1247 for November 9 brings together denim, deception and a few phrases with unexpectedly wild endings. The trick is spotting when a familiar phrase is pulling double duty.
If a word seems to fit more than one theme, trust the four-word pattern—not the first association that jumps out.
SPOILER WARNING: Hints and answers for today’s NYT Connections follow.
Today’s NYT Connections words
Here are the 16 words on today’s board:
- STEAK KNIFE | CARD SHARK | CON JOB | BOOTCUT
- NAVY SEAL | SHELL GAME | MINT LEAF | GAMMA RAY
- TAPE DISPENSER | LOW-RISE | FUN SPONGE | RIP-OFF
- SKINNY | FLIMFLAM | GRAPEFRUIT SPOON | DISTRESSED
Today’s NYT Connections hints
Need a nudge without giving the whole board away? Try these:
- 🟡 Yellow: Four entries can describe a dishonest trick or swindle.
- 🟢 Green: Look for four terms that could describe denim styles or fits.
- 🔵 Blue: Think of objects whose edges have a tiny tooth-like pattern.
- 🟣 Purple: Each phrase has an animal name tucked at its very end.
Today’s NYT Connections group titles
- 🟡 Yellow: DECEITFUL SCHEME
- 🟢 Green: JEANS DESCRIPTORS
- 🔵 Blue: THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES
- 🟣 Purple: ENDING IN SEA CREATURES
What are today’s NYT Connections answers?
Here are the four completed groups, from easiest to hardest:
| Colour | Group | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 🟡 Yellow | DECEITFUL SCHEME | CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF, SHELL GAME |
| 🟢 Green | JEANS DESCRIPTORS | BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, SKINNY |
| 🔵 Blue | THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES | GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, STEAK KNIFE, TAPE DISPENSER |
| 🟣 Purple | ENDING IN SEA CREATURES | CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY, NAVY SEAL |
Today’s Connections — expert analysis
The natural entry point is the denim set: BOOTCUT, LOW-RISE, SKINNY and DISTRESSED are all familiar jeans descriptors. The yellow group is also fairly direct once CON JOB, FLIMFLAM and RIP-OFF point toward a deceitful scheme; SHELL GAME completes it.
Purple is the toughest because the connection sits at the ends of phrases rather than in their overall meanings: CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY and NAVY SEAL all finish with sea creatures. CARD SHARK and SHELL GAME are a particularly tempting overlap, since both evoke games and trickery, but only the latter belongs with the deceitful schemes. MINT LEAF and STEAK KNIFE can also pull attention toward food, while GRAPEFRUIT SPOON and TAPE DISPENSER help reveal the serrated-edge set.
If you’re stuck, spend your first safe guess on BOOTCUT, LOW-RISE, SKINNY and DISTRESSED: they’re a clean set with fewer competing readings than the phrase-based groups.
Difficulty: 3.5/5 — the straightforward jeans set is balanced by a tricky sea-creature wordplay group and some convincing overlaps.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Game #1246)
Yesterday’s puzzle ranged from muscular terms to vegetable homophones; here are the answers for Game #1246:
- 🟡 Yellow (MUSCULAR): BUILT, CUT, JACKED, RIPPED
- 🟢 Green (HAIR SALON SERVICES): BLOWOUT, COLOR, EXTENSIONS, TRIM
- 🔵 Blue (THINGS THAT HELP MAKE SENSE OF A SITUATION): CLARITY, CONTEXT, INSIGHT, PERSPECTIVE
- 🟣 Purple (VEGETABLE HOMOPHONES): CARAT, CHARRED, KORN, LEAK
What is NYT Connections?
Connections is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times. The board gives you 16 words, which you must sort into four groups of four based on a shared connection.
The groups are color-coded by difficulty, from yellow as the easiest to purple as the hardest. The catch: some words can look as if they belong in more than one group.
How to play NYT Connections
- Choose four words that you think share a connection, then submit your group.
- Find all four groups of four before you make four mistakes.
- Use the color feedback to see each group’s difficulty: yellow, green, blue and purple, from easiest to hardest.
Past week’s NYT Connections answers
Missed a day? Full solutions from earlier this week, newest first.
Game #1245 — November 7
- 🟡 PIRATE’S PLUNDER: BOOTY, BOUNTY, SPOILS, TREASURE
- 🟢 KINDS OF SHIRTS: HENLEY, POLO, RAGLAN, RINGER
- 🔵 FIRST WORDS OF U.S. STATE NAMES: NEW, NORTH, RHODE, SOUTH
- 🟣 ENDS OF STORM TYPES: CANE, CLONE, EASTER, SOON
Game #1244 — November 6
- 🟡 COMPOSITION: CONSTITUTION, FABRIC, MAKEUP, STRUCTURE
- 🟢 COPY: BACKUP, EXTRA, REPLACEMENT, SPARE
- 🔵 KINDS OF TRUCKS: FLATBED, PICKUP, SEMI, TANKER
- 🟣 ENDING IN PARTS OF THE EYE: HOT ROD, OSIRIS, TRAFFIC CONE, WOOLENS
Game #1243 — November 5
- 🟡 KINDS OF HEELS: KITTEN, PLATFORM, SPIKE, WEDGE
- 🟢 FLOWERS: ANEMONE, LOTUS, NARCISSUS, ROSE
- 🔵 TEARDROP-SHAPED THINGS: PEAR, RAINDROP, SPEEDBAG, UVULA
- 🟣 LIQUORS WITH LAST LETTERS CHANGED: BRANDO, GIG, RUN, WHISKER
Game #1242 — November 4
- 🟡 TRIANGULAR PRISMS WITH A SHARP EDGE: DOORSTOP, FLATIRON BUILDING, PIE SLICE, WEDGE
- 🟢 WORDS AFTER “DO NOT” ON A CARE LABEL: BLEACH, IRON, TUMBLE DRY, WRING
- 🔵 MOVE IDLY, WITH “AROUND”: LOLL, POKE, PUTTER, SHUFFLE
- 🟣 FIRE___: CRACKER, FLY, WOOD, WORKS
Game #1241 — November 3
- 🟡 KEEP GOING: CARRY ON, CONTINUE, PROCEED, RESUME
- 🟢 THINGS WITH WHEELS: OFFICE CHAIR, ROLLER BAG, SHOPPING CART, STROLLER
- 🔵 THINGS A SERVER BRINGS AT A RESTAURANT: CHECK, FOOD, MENU, TAP WATER
- 🟣 ENDING IN MENU BAR HEADINGS: CREDIT, INTERVIEW, PROFILE, WHELP
Game #1240 — November 2
- 🟡 THINGS TO BRING ON A TREK: BACKPACK, COMPASS, HIKING BOOTS, WATER BOTTLE
- 🟢 ANGER: INCENSE, NETTLE, PIQUE, WIND UP
- 🔵 MIST MAKERS: DRY ICE, FOG MACHINE, HUMIDIFIER, WATERFALL
- 🟣 THINGS WITH MIRRORS: DISCO BALL, DRESSING ROOM, KALEIDOSCOPE, MEDICINE CABINET
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.
