Finding it hard to get past the first two groups in today’s Connections puzzle? We’re here to help you out. As you scroll down, you’ll see some general hints to nudge you in the direction of the answers. Then, we’ll give you one word from each category, followed by the list of themes. Finally, the answers and their explanations will be waiting for you at the end of the page. Here are all the hints, clues, and answers to today’s NYT Connections (#1,155, August 9, 2026).
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In This Article
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
- SHIFT GEARS
- JURY DUTY
- SPACE OPERA
- LABYRINTH
- CAPS FOR SALE
- ESCAPE ROOM
- NEO-NOIR
- COURSE-CORRECT
- BAD DREAM
- BUDDY COP
- CORDUROY
- CHANGE TACK
- MADELINE
- RECALIBRATE
- SPAGHETTI WESTERN
- GOODNIGHT MOON
Hints for NYT Connections (#1,155) August 9, 2026
Let’s get you started with some general, spoiler-free hints.
- 🟡Yellow Group: Adjust.
- 🟢Green Group: Found in a children’s classroom.
- 🔵Blue Group: Cinema!
- 🟣Purple Group: Things you don’t want to be a part of.
One Word Per Category (Contains Spoilers)
Can’t seem to find an in? We’ll give you one word from each category.
- 🟡Yellow Group: Change Tack.
- 🟢Green Group: Caps For Sale.
- 🔵Blue Group: Buddy Cop.
- 🟣Purple Group: Bad Dream.
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: Take A Different Approach.
- 🟢Green Group: Classic Children’s Books.
- 🔵Blue Group: Movie Subgenres.
- 🟣Purple Group: Things People Try To Get Out Of.
Answers to NYT Connections (#1,155) Today (August 9, 2026)
Close to waving the white flag? Fine, we’ll give you the answers.
- 🟡Yellow Group: Change Tack, Course-Correct, Recalibrate, Shift Gear. (Take A Different Approach)
These words are deployed when talking about giving up the current plan and taking another path.
- 🟢Green Group: Caps For Sale, Corduroy, Goodnight Moon, Madeline. (Classic Children’s Books)
Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (1940), Corduroy by Don Freeman (1968), Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1947), Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939).
- 🔵Blue Group: Buddy Cop, Neo-Noir, Space Opera, Spaghetti Western. (Movie Subgenres)
Buddy Cop (Hot Fuzz, Training Day, etc.), Neo-Noir (Chinatown, Taxi Driver, etc.), Space Opera (Star Wars, Flash Gordon, etc.), Spaghetti Western (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, etc.)
- 🟣Purple Group: Bad Dream, Escape Room, Jury Duty, Labyrinth. (Things People Try To Get Out Of)
Today’s Purple group seems obvious in hindsight, but finding the common connection in the grid was pretty tough.
Answers to yesterday’s puzzle (#1,154, August 8, 2026)
- 🟡Yellow Group: Hot Dog, Hurrah, Whoopee, Yahoo. (Quaint Expressions Of Excitement)
- 🟢Green Group: Couch, Express, Frame, Phrase. (Convey)
- 🔵Blue Group: Cutie, Easy, Effects, I Owe You. (Words Abbreviated With Letters As Homophones)
- 🟣Purple Group: Belt, Goggles, Pin, Razor. (Safety ___)
Answers to NYT Connections #1,153 (August 7, 2026)
- 🟡Yellow Group: Fragrance, Jar, Wax, Wick. (Components Of A Candle)
- 🟢Green Group: Liquid Nitrogen, Refrigerator, Snow, Sundae. (Cold Things)
- 🔵Blue Group: Buttons, Cables, Motor, Shaft. (Parts Of An Elevator)
- 🟣Purple Group: Buckyball, Jackpot, Rambo, Tomatillo. (Starting With Male Animals)
Answers to NYT Connections #1,152 (August 6, 2026)
- 🟡Yellow Group: Alphabet Blocks, Cup-And-Ball, Jacob’s Ladder, Lincoln Logs. (Classic Wooden Toys)
- 🟢Green Group: Bowling Alley, Freeway, Supermarket, Swimming Pool. (Places With Lanes)
- 🔵Blue Group: Colosseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain. (Iconic Roman Landmarks)
- 🟣Purple Group: Barclays Center, Fishing Boat, Hockey Rink, Tennis Court. (Places With Nets)
How did other solvers do today?
NYT’s early testers rated today’s Connection puzzle 2.2 out of 5. This puts it in the medium difficulty level. Let us know how you fared in the comments!
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