Finding it hard to solve today’s Connections puzzle? We’re here to help you get it done before finishing your morning coffee. Don’t worry, we won’t spoil the answers right away. First, we’ll give you some general hints to get your juices flowing in the right direction. Then, we’ll reveal a word from each category. This will be followed by the category names, and, finally, the answers. So, without further ado, here are all the hints, clues, and answers to today’s NYT Connections (#1041, April 17, 2026)
In This Article
What is Connections?
Connections is a daily puzzle game from the New York Times. You can play it on your mobile or PC by clicking this link. The aim of the puzzle is pretty straightforward – you are supposed to find 4 groups of 4 words with common themes. These groups are arranged in 4 levels of difficulty: Yellow (Easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (Toughest). While this may seem simple, the puzzle often has some red herrings that can catch you off guard. Oftentimes, the Purple category can be a headscratcher with themes that may have something to do with the nomenclature rather than the meaning of the words. You never really know for sure what’s coming your way, and that’s what keeps Connections fresh!
First, let’s take a look at today’s grid
- DOMINANT
- KEY
- ROOT
- TAN
- TONIC
- STEM
- HAMMER
- GENERAL
- BULB
- SODA
- COMMON
- STRING
- STORMY
- LEAF
- PEDAL
- POPULAR
Hints for NYT Connections (#1041) April 17, 2026
These hints do not contain any spoilers. They will nudge you in the right direction without giving away any answers.
- Yellow Group: Think cauliflower.
- Green Group: Zeitgeist.
- Blue Group: Parts of a popular musical instrument.
- Purple Group: You’d find these words in a bar menu.
One Word Per Category (Contains Spoilers)
Not able to spot any underlying themes or commonalities? We’ll help you get started. Here is one word for every group in today’s puzzle.
- Yellow Group: Bulb.
- Green Group: Common.
- Blue Group: Hammer.
- Purple Group: Soda.
List of Themes (Major Spoilers)
If the last round of hints didn’t help, maybe it’s time to look up the themes and retrospectively find the connections.
- Yellow Group: Vegetable parts.
- Green Group: Prevailing.
- Blue Group: Parts of a piano.
- Purple Group: Second halves of drink names.
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Answers to NYT Connections (#1041) April 17, 2026
On your last attempt, and don’t want to ruin the streak? Fine, we’ll give you the answers.
- Yellow Group: Bulb, Leaf, Root, Stem (Vegetable parts).
- Green Group: Common, Dominant, General, Popular (Prevailing).
- Blue Group: Hammer, Key, Pedal, String (Parts of a piano).
- Purple Group: Soda, Stormy, Tan, Tonic (Second halves of drink names).
Answers to yesterday’s Connections puzzle
- Yellow Group: Needle, Rib, Ride, Roast (Tease).
- Green Group: Auto, Cool, Fan, Heat (Thermostat settings).
- Blue Group: Bodysuit, Claws, Mask, Whip (Features of a Catwoman costume).
- Purple Group: Bra, Camp, Day, Wheels (Training ___).
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What we think
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle was rated 2.5 out of 5 for difficulty. Were you able to crack it without making any mistakes? Let us know in the comments!
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