If today’s New York Times Connections grid has you feeling stuck, you are not alone. Puzzle #1221 brings some clever wordplay that might mislead you at first glance. Here is what you need to know.
Here are helpful hints to guide you through today’s puzzle, with the full answers listed further down.
Today’s Connections Strategy & Commentary
Watch out for the red herrings today. At first glance, Hulk and Flash might seem like they go together simply because they are both superhero names, while Serve and Smash could look like general action words. Take a moment to think about the specific context for each group.
Ask yourself whether words point to a small amount or a subtle sign, describe specific moves used in tennis, are superhero names that are always preceded by the word the, or all start with one of the words from the famous phrase Fee Fi Fo Fum. Taking that extra moment to see the exact pattern for each group will help you avoid the traps.
Connections Hints Today: Category Clues
If you just need a nudge to get your brain moving in the right direction, here are clues for the four color-coded groups:
- 🟨 Yellow Group Hint: Words that describe a small sign, a tiny amount, or a slight indication of something.
- 🟩 Green Group Hint: Specific moves or strokes used when playing tennis.
- 🟦 Blue Group Hint: Famous superhero names that are almost always said with the word the before them.
- 🟪 Purple Group Hint: Each word starts with one of the sounds from the giant’s famous phrase Fee Fi Fo Fum.
Stuck on one word? If you have Whiff, think about what it means. It is a very slight hint or trace of something and fits the Yellow group today. For the Purple group, just look at the first letter of each word and match it to Fee Fi Fo Fum.
Here is our result for today’s puzzle:
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟦🟪🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟦🟦🟦
🟦🟦🟪🟦
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🟪🟪🟪
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: The full answers are listed below. If you still want to solve the grid yourself using the clues above, do not scroll down.
NYT Connections Answers Today for October 14, 2026 (Puzzle #1221)
Here are the completed categories and groupings for today’s puzzle:
🟨 Yellow Category: Hint
- Flicker
- Suggestion
- Trace
- Whiff
🟩 Green Category: Tennis Shots
- Serve
- Slice
- Smash
- Volley
🟦 Blue Category: Superheroes, With The
- Flash
- Hulk
- Punisher
- Thing
🟪 Purple Category: Starting With Fee, Fi, Fo Fum
- Feed
- Fiery
- Foment
- Fumble
Yesterday’s Answer
This is yesterday’s NYT Connections answer for October 13, 2026 (Puzzle #1220).
🟨 Yellow Category: Discernment. Eye, Flair, Sense, Taste
🟩 Green Category: Fasten. Hitch, Lash, Tether, Tie
🟦 Blue Category: Sports Championship Prizes. Belt, Cup, Jacket, Ring
🟪 Purple Category: Loose ___. Cannon, Change, Ends, Lips
For older solutions, see our Connections answers archive.
How did you do?
Did today’s puzzle give you a perfect solve or did the tricky categories take extra tries? Share your results grid in the comments below.
A new puzzle becomes available every midnight based on your local time zone. It appears at different times around the world including United States UTC-4 to UTC-8, Philippine Standard Time UTC+8, Australia UTC+8 to UTC+11, and New Zealand UTC+12 or UTC+13.
Check back tomorrow for more Connections hints, strategy tips, and the next answer.
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