Ace Today’s NYT Connections (#1,247) With These Hints, Clues, and Answers (November 9, 2026)

Has today’s Connections grid got you feeling unsure about preserving your streak? Take a look at the hints we’ve prepared for you. Those who need more help can scroll down to view one entry from each group and the list of themes. Finally, the answers and their explanations will be waiting for you at the end of the page. So, without further ado, here are all the hints, clues, and answers to NYT Connections today (#1,247, November 9, 2026).

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What is Connections?

Connections is one of the most popular word games from The New York Times, only trailing behind Wordle. The rules of the game are simple. You are presented with a 16-word grid where you’re supposed to find the entries that share something in common. There are a total of 4 groups, each consisting of 4 words, that you must find. The Yellow group is the easiest to spot, followed by Green, Blue, and Purple. Sometimes, there are a couple of red herrings to throw you off and make the puzzle more interesting. You can play Connections in the NYT Games app or on the NYT website.

Here’s your grid for today

• 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

Hints for NYT Connections (#1,247) November 9, 2026

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

• 🟡Yellow Group: Swindle or fraud.
• 🟢Green Group: Different varieties of a specific lower-body garment.
• 🔵Blue Group: They have sharp sides.
• 🟣Purple Group: The second words of these entries are names of animals found in large water bodies.

One Entry Per Category (Contains Spoilers)

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

• 🟡Yellow Group: Con Job.
• 🟢Green Group: Bootcut.
• 🔵Blue Group: Grapefruit Spoon.
• 🟣Purple Group: Card Shark.

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: Deceitful Scheme.
• 🟢Green Group: Jeans Descriptors.
• 🔵Blue Group: Things With Separated Edges.
• 🟣Purple Group: Ending in Sea Creatures.

Answers to NYT Connections (#1,247) Today (November 9, 2026)

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

• 🟡Yellow Group: Con Job, Flimflam, Rip-off, Shell Game. (Deceitful Scheme)

Scams that are designed to prey on unwitting people.

• 🟢Green Group: Bootcut, Distressed, Low-rise, Skinny. (Jeans Descriptors)

These are different kinds of jeans.

• 🔵Blue Group: Grapefruit Spoon, Mint Leaf, Steak Knife, Tape Dispenser. (Things With Separated Edges)

This one is a pretty broad category, but these things have defined edges.

• 🟣Purple Group: Card Shark, Fun Sponge, Gamma Ray, Navy Seal. (Ending in Sea Creatures)

Shark. Sponge. Ray. Seal.

Answers to yesterday’s puzzle (#1,246, November 8, 2026)

• 🟡Yellow Group: Built, Cut, Jacked, Ripped. (Muscular)
• 🟢Green Group: Blowout, Color, Extensions, Trim. (Hair Salon Services)
• 🔵Blue Group: Clarity, Context, Insight, Perspective. (Things That Help Make Sense of a Situation)
• 🟣Purple Group: Carat, Charred, Korn, Leak. (Vegetable Homophones)

Answers to NYT Connections #1,245 (November 7, 2026)

• 🟡Yellow Group: Booty, Bounty, Spoils, Treasure. (Pirate’s Plunder)
• 🟢Green Group: Henley, Polo, Raglan, Ringer. (Kinds of Shirts)
• 🔵Blue Group: New, North, Rhode, South. (First Words of US State Names)
• 🟣Purple Group: Cane, Clone, Easter, Soon. (Ends of Storm Types)

Answers to NYT Connections #1,244 (November 6, 2026)

• 🟡Yellow Group: Constitution, Fabric, Makeup, Structure. (Composition)
• 🟢Green Group: Backup, Extra, Replacement, Spare. (Copy)
• 🔵Blue Group: Flatbed, Semi, Pickup, Tanker. (Kinds of Trucks)
• 🟣Purple Group: Hot Rod, Osiris, Traffic Cone, Woolens. (Ending in Parts of the Eye)

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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!