The New York Times Connections
The New York Times Connections

NEW YORK — Tuesday's edition of The New York Times' Connections puzzle mixes everyday vocabulary with some unusual facial hair and a purple group that requires players to listen as much as they read.

Puzzle No. 1227, released for Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, asks players to sort 16 words into four hidden groups of four. Some solvers rated it a hard puzzle. Below are hints arranged from gentle to more revealing, strategy tips and, for those who need them, the full answers.

Spoiler warning: The answers to today's Connections puzzle appear later in this article. Read only as far as you need.

How Connections works

Connections presents players with a grid of 16 words. The goal is to find four groups of four words that share a common link. Players can make up to four mistakes before the game ends.

Each group is color-coded by difficulty. Yellow is generally the most straightforward, followed by green and blue, with purple usually the trickiest and often built on wordplay.

The Times launched Connections in June 2023, and it has become one of the most popular games in its lineup. The puzzles are edited by Wyna Liu.

A new puzzle is released at midnight local time.

Today's 16 words

Tuesday's grid includes the following words:

CHEVRON, DOCK, BELL, PENCIL, POODLE, WRAP, MINI, MINION, WALRUS, PUPPET, CLOSE, HORSESHOE, ARIAL, STOP, STOOGE, END

Hints for Connections No. 1227

For players who want to keep solving on their own, here are hints for each group.

  • Yellow: Think of words that mean bringing something to a conclusion.
  • Green: Think of someone who blindly follows orders.
  • Blue: Think of styles of facial hair grown above the upper lip.
  • Purple: Say the words out loud. Each sounds like a famous animated character from a major movie studio.

More revealing hints

If you still need help, here is one word from each group:

  • Yellow: WRAP
  • Green: STOOGE
  • Blue: WALRUS
  • Purple: MINI

Strategy tips for today's puzzle

Watch for double meanings. Several words in today's grid have more than one sense. WRAP can mean a sandwich or a garment, but in film and television it also means to finish a production. PUPPET can describe a toy, or a person controlled by someone else.

Don't be fooled by MINI and MINION. These two words look closely related, but they belong to different groups. One describes a loyal underling, while the other relies on its sound.

Look past the obvious. CHEVRON may make players think of a gas station or a V-shaped pattern, and PENCIL may suggest office supplies. ARIAL is also the name of a common computer font. Players who chase those connections may waste guesses.

Read words aloud. When a grid includes unusual spellings, such as ARIAL, the purple group often relies on how the words sound rather than how they are spelled.

Use the shuffle button. Rearranging the grid can break up misleading clusters and help reveal new connections.

Final warning: The answers are below

If you want to keep trying, stop reading here.

Today's Connections answers

Here are the solutions for Connections No. 1227 for Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026:

  • Yellow — Finish: CLOSE, END, STOP, WRAP
  • Green — Lackey: MINION, POODLE, PUPPET, STOOGE
  • Blue — Mustaches: CHEVRON, HORSESHOE, PENCIL, WALRUS
  • Purple — Homophones of Disney characters: ARIAL, BELL, DOCK, MINI

Breaking down the groups

The yellow group gathers words meaning to bring something to an end. To CLOSE, END, STOP or WRAP something is to finish it, with "wrap" commonly used when a film or television production completes shooting.

The green group lists words for someone who obediently follows orders. A MINION, POODLE, PUPPET or STOOGE is a person who serves someone more powerful, often without question. Calling someone a "poodle" in this sense is especially common in British political commentary.

The blue group names styles of mustaches. A CHEVRON mustache is thick and covers the upper lip, a HORSESHOE extends down the sides of the mouth, a PENCIL mustache is thin and neatly trimmed, and a WALRUS mustache is bushy and droops over the lips.

The purple group rewards players who sound out each word. Each one is a homophone of a Disney character:

  • ARIAL sounds like Ariel, from "The Little Mermaid."
  • BELL sounds like Belle, from "Beauty and the Beast."
  • DOCK sounds like Doc, one of the seven dwarfs in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
  • MINI sounds like Minnie, as in Minnie Mouse.

Keep your streak going

Connections tends to reward patience. Players who pause before submitting a group, consider whether any word could fit elsewhere and save uncertain guesses for last often avoid costly mistakes.

Tuesday's puzzle is a reminder that when spellings look odd, saying words aloud can reveal the hidden link.

A new Connections puzzle will be available at midnight local time, giving players another chance to test their skills on Wednesday.