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.
BEAT, FRIED, SPENT, and WORN OUT all mean exhausted. LEG, PHASE, STAGE, and STRETCH are segments. The blue words end in units of length: chamoMILE, GrINCH, hotFOOT, and lanYARD. The purple words end in stealth-following verbs: beanSTALK, eyeSHADOW, highTAIL, and soundTRACK.
Recent Connections answers
Stuck on a streak day? Past solves keep you moving.
Catching up? Here are the most recent solutions.
| Date | Puzzle | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Aug 14, 2026 | Connections #1160 | Black-and-yellow / Places where everyone thinks the same ways / Comic book artist's tools / Triangle logos |
| Thu, Aug 13, 2026 | Connections #1159 | Persevere / Move slowly (up to) / Airline status perks / “Cold” things, in idioms |
| Wed, Aug 12, 2026 | Connections #1158 | Hold onto, as a feeling / Kinds of frogs / NBC sitcom surnames / Starting with affirmative responses |
More from the desk
The cleanest separation
The last two groups are suffix puzzles, so solving by surface meaning creates convincing false matches. Isolate the direct synonyms first, then read only the final letters of the remaining eight entries.
FAQ
What are today's NYT Connections groups for August 15, 2026?
The groups are Exhausted, Segment, Ending in units of length, and Ending in synonyms for follow secretly.
What number is today's Connections puzzle?
The August 15, 2026 puzzle is Connections #1161.
What is the hardest wordplay in Connections #1161?
Two groups depend on hidden word endings: measurement units and verbs meaning to follow secretly.
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