Overview
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Game #1233 of the New York Times Connections puzzle launches on Monday, October 26, 2026. Participants are tasked with organizing 16 words into four quartets based on underlying themes.
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The selection of terms features WELCOME, HALLOWEEK, CHILLING, TOY, YOGA, JAWN, SPORTING, PRAYER, PSYCHS, HOUND, MANAGING, WRESTLING, SAME OLD, HOSTED, HERDING, and NOT BAD.
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The four themes consist of conversational replies, types of mats, classifications used by the American Kennel Club for dog breeds, and horror film titles that feature altered final letters.
Monday, October 26, 2026, marks the release of NYT Connections puzzle #1233. The exercise challenges users to group 16 terms into four distinct categories relying on commonalities, spanning casual dialogue and clever linguistic tricks. Spoilers are clearly marked in the hints, categories, and complete solutions provided below.
Hints for Today’s Connections
Players seeking assistance with solving the puzzle, can utilize these category clues prior to reviewing the full answers.
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Yellow Group: Various ways people reply when someone inquires about their well-being.
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Green Group: Different sorts of floor mats utilized for particular tasks or settings.
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Blue Group: Four distinct categories designated by the American Kennel Club for dog breeds.
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Purple Group: Horror motion picture titles modified by altering their final letters.
These clues provide a starting point without giving away every single word. Finding the most straightforward theme first can help simplify the remaining terms for tougher groupings.
One Word From Each Group
The following terms serve as starting points if the category clues proved insufficient:
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Yellow Group: MANAGING
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Green Group: PRAYER
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Blue Group: HERDING
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Purple Group: HOSTED
Search for the three additional words matching each clue, bearing in mind that every group requires exactly four items and that surface-level definitions may not reflect the intended puzzle link.
Today’s Connections Categories
The designated categories for Connections #1233 consist of:
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Yellow Group: Responses to “How are you?”
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Green Group: Kinds of mats
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Blue Group: American Kennel Club dog breed groups
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Purple Group: Horror movies with the last letter changed
Everyday conversational replies make up the yellow cluster. The green collection ties together terms linked to mats used for yoga, welcoming visitors, prayer, and wrestling. Standard dog breed classifications make up the blue group, whereas the purple set requires spotting modified horror film titles.
Today’s NYT Connections Answers for October 26
Warning: Spoilers ahead. Complete solutions for Connections #1233 are listed below. Discontinue reading if you prefer to solve the board independently.
Yellow Group – Responses to “How Are You?”
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CHILLING
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MANAGING
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NOT BAD
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SAME OLD
These phrases function as casual replies when someone asks about your well-being or current life events. The answers span from indicating things are going reasonably well to implying that little has altered.
Green Group – Kinds of Mats
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PRAYER
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WELCOME
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WRESTLING
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YOGA
Each term identifies a specific variety of mat tied to a designated activity or function. Welcome mats sit at thresholds, prayer mats see use during prayer, wrestling mats offer a padded surface for the sport, and yoga mats aid stretching and exercise routines.
Blue Group – American Kennel Club Dog Breed Groups
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HERDING
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HOUND
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SPORTING
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TOY
These represent four official classifications recognized by the American Kennel Club. Herding dogs manage livestock, hounds are traditionally tied to hunting, sporting breeds assist hunters, and toy dogs are typically smaller companion animals.
Purple Group – Horror Movies With the Last Letter Changed
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HALLOWEEK
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HOSTED
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JAWN
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PSYCHS
Serving as the trickiest segment of the puzzle, these terms reference modified film titles rather than literal definitions. HALLOWEEK alters the final letter of Halloween, HOSTED tweaks the conclusion of Hostel, JAWN changes the ending of Jaws, and PSYCHS shifts the final letter of Psycho.
Recognizing the pattern becomes simpler once participants reflect on the original motion picture titles, viewing each entry through the lens of a potential movie reference.
Why Today’s Puzzle Could Be Tricky
Today’s grid merges film references, everyday objects, dog categories, and everyday conversational phrases. While the yellow grouping may present an easier solve, remaining themes demand specialized insight or alternative perspectives.
The green cluster can initially cause confusion since yoga, welcome, prayer, and wrestling cover varied activities. The thread becomes clear once solvers connect them to the mats utilized in each practice.
Familiarity with dog breed classifications is necessary for the blue section. Participants might easily spot terms like TOY and HOUND without instantly realizing SPORTING and HERDING belong to that same categorization.
The purple group proves particularly difficult because the entries diverge from standard movie names. Minor alterations at the end of each word make it simple to miss the connection if one relies solely on literal interpretations.
How to Play NYT Connections
Connections functions as a daily word game published by The New York Times. Competitors receive a 16-word board and must arrange them into four quartets sharing a unified thread.
Relative difficulty is denoted by the color of each group:
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Yellow: Generally the most straightforward category.
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Green: Frequently demands deeper consideration.
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Blue: May rely on niche knowledge or less apparent associations.
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Purple: Commonly features hidden patterns, wordplay, or unusual meanings.
Users highlight four words and lock in their guess. Correct groups disappear from the grid, whereas missed attempts subtract from the allowable error pool. Up to four mistakes are permitted before the game concludes.
A helpful tactic involves isolating obvious matches first and verifying whether any terms fit multiple themes. Refrain from locking in guesses too hastily, particularly when several entries appear to share a broad theme.
Today’s puzzle rewards individuals who spot casual idioms and everyday items while simultaneously leveraging insight into classic horror films and canine classifications.
More NYT Games to Try
Upon finishing Connections, participants can check out alternative New York Times offerings, such as the Mini Crossword, Strands, and Wordle.
Every game presents a distinct test, ranging from unearthing a secret word to uncovering themed terminology or working through crossword clues. These daily challenges offer chances to practice pattern recognition, sharpen vocabularies, and enjoy a quick mental exercise.
A fresh Connections board drops daily, introducing another set of 16 terms and four hidden links to uncover.
Also Read: NYT Connections Answers for October 24, 2026: Hints and Full Solutions for Puzzle #1231
