Save Your Streak Using These NYT Connections (#1,194) Hints, Clues, and Answers Today (September 17, 2026)

There’s a sneaky water-related misdirect hiding in today’s Connections grid. If you fell for it, it’s time to lock in and get the win before you run out of attempts. To help you in this quest, we’ve arranged a set of spoiler–free hints that will nudge you in the direction of the answers. For those who need additional help, we’ve got one word from each group and the list of themes, too. Connectors who just want the answers can find them at the end of the page. So, let’s dive into all the hints, clues, and answers to NYT Connections today (#1,194, September 17, 2026).

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What is Connections?

The New York Times has a thriving online word game section, with Connections being the second-most-played title behind the crown jewel, Wordle. The rules of this game are simple – you need to find 4 groups comprising 4 words each in a 16-word grid. The words in each group are united by a common theme. The Yellow group is the easiest one to spot, followed by Green, Blue, and Purple (toughest). Sometimes, there are red herrings and misdirects in the grid to throw you off your game, so don’t take your thinking cap off at any time! Ready to lock in? You can play Connections in the NYT Games app or on the NYT website.

Here’s your grid for today

• SPRING
• SUBWAY STATION
• PRESTIGE
• TRIANGLE
• TAP
• GIVE
• LANGUAGE
• FOUNTAIN
• WELL
• BOUNCE
• SEWER LINE
• HANDLES
• SHEEP DETECTIVES
• MINE SHAFT
• FLEXIBILITY
• WOLVERINE

Hints for NYT Connections (#1,194) September 17, 2026

Let’s get you started with some general, spoiler-free hints.

• 🟡Yellow Group: Easily bendable.
• 🟢Green Group: Found below the ground.
• 🔵Blue Group: Movies featuring a popular Australian male actor.
• 🟣Purple Group: Preceded by a common word that means ‘deep affection for someone’.

One Word Per Category (Contains Spoilers)

Can’t seem to find an in? We’ll give you one word from each category.

• 🟡Yellow Group: Bounce.
• 🟢Green Group: Mine Shaft.
• 🔵Blue Group: Fountain.
• 🟣Purple Group: Handles.

List of Themes (Major Spoilers)

Maybe getting to know the common themes among the words will help you spot them faster. Here are all the categories for today.

• 🟡Yellow Group: Elasticity.
• 🟢Green Group: Things That Are Underground.
• 🔵Blue Group: Hugh Jackman Movies, With “The”.
• 🟣Purple Group: Love ___.

Answers to NYT Connections (#1,194) Today (September 17, 2026)

Close to waving the white flag? Fine, we’ll give you the answers.

• 🟡Yellow Group: Bounce, Flexibility, Give, Spring. (Elasticity)

This one is pretty self-explanatory. These words are used to refer to the bendiness of a material.

• 🟢Green Group: Mine Shaft, Sewer Line, Subway Station, Well. (Things That Are Underground)

All of these things operate below the ground.

• 🔵Blue Group: Fountain, Prestige, Sheep Detectives, Wolverine. (Hugh Jackman Movies, With “The”)

The Fountain (2006). The Prestige (2006). The Sheep Detectives (2026). The Wolverine (2013).

• 🟣Purple Group: Handles, Language Tap, Triangle. (Love ___)

Love handles – Fat deposits on the sides of the waistline. Love language – The way someone expresses love. Love tap – A light and affectionate nudge. Love triangle – A romantic dynamic involving three people.

Answers to yesterday’s puzzle (#1,193, September 16, 2026)

• 🟡Yellow Group: Latin, Long John Silver, Marigold, Steam Iron. (Ending In Metal Elements)
• 🟢Green Group: Dimension, Nickelodeon, Pennywise, Quarterback. (Starting With U.S. Coins)
• 🔵Blue Group: Barrett, Carlos, St. Vincent, Wadsworth. (Poets’ Middle Names)
• 🟣Purple Group: Borat, Clink, Frank-N-Furter, Widener. (Sausages Plus A Letter)

Answers to yesterday’s puzzle (#1,192, September 15, 2026)

• 🟡Yellow Group: Coach, Direct, Guide, Train. (Instruct)
• 🟢Green Group: Handle, Lid, Spout, Whistle. (Parts Of A Whistling Kettle)
• 🔵Blue Group: Asset, Mole, Plant, Sleeper. (Undercover Operative)
• 🟣Purple Group: Caboose, December, Dessert, Epilogue. (Things That Appear At The End)

Answers to yesterday’s puzzle (#1,191, September 14, 2026)

• 🟡Yellow Group: Coot, Goose, Loon, Teal. (Waterbirds)
• 🟢Green Group: Canary, Rat, Snitch, Stoolie. (Informant)
• 🔵Blue Group: Bag, Cutlery, Stirrer, Straw. (Common Single-Use Plastic Items)
• 🟣Purple Group: Blue, Crab, Lemon, Wheat. (___ Grass)

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How did other Connectors do today?

NYT’s early testers rated today’s Connections puzzle 2.3 out of 5. This puts it in the medium difficulty level. Let us know how you fared in the comments!