Today's hints
Each hint nudges harder. Stop reading whenever the word lands.
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.
CONCERT, GIG, SET, and SHOW are musical performances. ACTOR, AGENT, PARTY, and PLAYER can each be a participant. GRAND, GREAT, HALF, and STEP modify family relationships. The final group — FROM NEANDER, HANDY, UPRIGHT, and WISE — works as descriptors associated with human ancestors, making the purple set the board's conceptual turn.
Recent Connections answers
Stuck on a streak day? Past solves keep you moving.
Catching up? Here are the most recent solutions.
| Date | Puzzle | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 15, 2026 | Connections #1161 | Exhausted: BEAT, FRIED, SPENT, WORN OUT / Segment: LEG, PHASE, STAGE, STRETCH / Ending in units of length: CHAMOMILE, GRINCH, HOTFOOT, LANYARD / Ending in synonyms for follow secretly: BEANSTALK, EYESHADOW, HIGHTAIL, SOUNDTRACK |
| 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 |
More from the desk
The cleanest separation
Start with the performance synonyms, then test which remaining words can name someone involved in an event or dispute. The family modifiers form another compact set. Only after those twelve are removed does the ancestry reading of the final four become clear.
FAQ
What are today's NYT Connections groups for August 16, 2026?
The groups are Musical performance, Participant, Family relationship modifiers, and Descriptors for our human ancestors.
What number is today's Connections puzzle?
The August 16, 2026 puzzle is Connections #1162.
What is the hardest group in Connections #1162?
The ancestry group is the trickiest because its four entries must be read as descriptors rather than ordinary surface synonyms.
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