Today's hints
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The answer
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Why this answer
The letters, categories, or grid logic that made this one tricky.
What made this one tricky:
- Connections is category-first: read the group labels as the answer, then use the listed cards to confirm no near-miss word belongs in a different color set.
The car set is the cleanest entry once CORVETTE, FIREBIRD, MUSTANG and VIPER are read as model names. BERET, GLOVES, STRIPES and SUSPENDERS build the mime costume. ARTICHOKE, PURPLE, SACRED and TAKE TO all precede HEART. The last group is letter surgery: DOVES, MARSH, SKORT and TWIXT become DOVE, MARS, SKOR and TWIX after one final letter is removed.
Recent Connections answers
Stuck on a streak day? Past solves keep you moving.
Catching up? Here are the most recent solutions.
| Date | Puzzle | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Sep 7, 2026 | Connections #1184 | QUITE THE SAGA: FABRICATION, FISH STORY, TALL TALE, YARN. PARTS OF A BRA: CUP, HOOK, STRAP, UNDERWIRE. ASSOCIATED WITH PINE TREES: CAR AIR FRESHENER, CHRISTMAS, NEEDLES, TURPENTINE. STARTING WITH DISNEY CHARACTERS: PLUTONIUM, SCAR TISSUE, STITCH MARKER, TRAMPOLINE. |
| Sun, Sep 6, 2026 | Connections #1183 | UNRESTRICTED PERMISSION; PLACES TO INSERT SOMETHING INTO ON A COMPUTER; ABBREVIATIONS FOLLOWED BY REDUNDANT WORD; ENDING WITH WAYS TO CARVE A SURFACE. |
| Sat, Sep 5, 2026 | Connections #1182 | MOVE UNSTEADILY; BIRD ONOMATOPOEIA; ___HEAD; DESSERTS MINUS LAST LETTER. |
| Fri, Sep 4, 2026 | Connections #1181 | SPHERICAL THINGS; FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS; KINDS OF EELS; ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS. |
| Thu, Sep 3, 2026 | Connections #1180 | TWO SHAKES OF A LAMB'S TAIL; SHADES OF RED; TOY CAR BRANDS; SPREADSHEET FUNCTIONS. |
| Wed, Sep 2, 2026 | Connections #1179 | FLABBERGAST; THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE; ___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS); ___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS). |
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | Connections #1178 | "I PROMISE!"; LONG, SKINNY THINGS OFTEN SEEN TOGETHER; PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS OF FICTION; STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION. |
| Mon, Aug 31, 2026 | Connections #1177 | THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES; WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX; HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES; ___ BOWL. |
| Sun, Aug 30, 2026 | Connections #1176 | EXERCISE FACILITIES; WINE ACCESSORIES; BRANDS WITH BUNNY RABBIT MASCOTS; WORDS ON AN OLD WEST WANTED POSTER. |
| Sat, Aug 29, 2026 | Connections #1175 | UNDER THE HOOD OF A CAR; KINDS OF SALAD; KEYBOARD KEYS; STARTING WITH FIGURES FROM GREEK MYTH. |
| Fri, Aug 28, 2026 | Connections #1174 | BEDTIME PARTING WORDS; PALINDROMES; MODERN ADD-ONS/COMBINING FORMS; TOP OF THE ___. |
| Thu, Aug 27, 2026 | Connections #1173 | ELECTRIC THINGS; MOVED TO TEARS; SHADES OF GRAY; MUSIC GENRE PLUS STARTING LETTER. |
| Wed, Aug 26, 2026 | Connections #1172 | "THERE YOU HAVE IT!"; KNACK; WHAT "P" MIGHT STAND FOR; KEY ___. |
| Tue, Aug 25, 2026 | Connections #1171 | SURFACE-LEVEL; SCI-FI PHENOMENA; STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH "THE"; ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS. |
More from the desk
The strongest decoys sit in the last two groups because several entries read naturally as ordinary nouns. Solve the concrete car and costume sets first, then test a shared blank before HEART. That leaves four odd-looking words whose removable final letters expose the candy-bar pattern.
FAQ
What are today’s NYT Connections answers for September 8, 2026?
Connections #1185 groups the grid as Classic American Performance Cars, Features of a Mime Costume, ___ Heart, and Candy Bars Plus a Letter.
How difficult is Connections #1185?
It is hard. The blue fill-in-the-blank set and purple remove-a-letter set create several convincing decoys.
What is the trickiest Connections #1185 group?
The purple group is the main trap: DOVES, MARSH, SKORT and TWIXT each lose one final letter to form a candy-bar name.
When does the next NYT Connections puzzle release?
The next Connections puzzle releases at midnight ET on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
How do you play NYT Connections?
Sort 16 words into four exact groups of four. You may make up to four mistakes before the game ends.
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