Play Connections #1154
These are the 16 words in the order NYT shows them. Tap four words you think belong together and press Submit. You get four mistakes, and we'll tell you when you are one word away. Nothing is saved, so you can practise without touching your real streak.
Connections #1154 hints
Yellow is usually the easiest group and purple the trickiest. Start with one colour and see if the rest falls into place.
Hints used: 0
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Yellow group hintGentle hint
These old-fashioned cheers might come from someone in a straw hat at a ballgame a century ago.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Each one is a way of putting thoughts into words, with attention to how you say it.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Each one has a shorthand form that sounds just like its full version when you read it aloud.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
All of these can follow a word for protection, and you might find them around a workshop, a bathroom or a car.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Several words in the cheering group, plus one in the wording group, could pass for exclamations, and a few of the others are physical objects that could be mistaken for each other.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- QUAINT EXPRESSIONS OF EXCITEMENT
- CONVEY
- WORDS ABBREVIATED WITH LETTERS AS HOMOPHONES
- SAFETY ___
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Difficulty: Medium. The cheers and the protective-gear words are easy to spot, but the shorthand group is the trickiest to see because you have to say the words aloud and spell out their sounds.
Connections #1154 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for August 8, 2026, with why each word fits.
Reveal one group at a time
Each colour opens in three steps: one word from the group, then the group name, then all four words. Stop as soon as you can finish it yourself.
Show one word
HOT DOG is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is QUAINT EXPRESSIONS OF EXCITEMENT.
Show all four words
HOT DOG, HURRAH, WHOOPEE, YAHOO
Show one word
COUCH is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is CONVEY.
Show all four words
COUCH, EXPRESS, FRAME, PHRASE
Show one word
CUTIE is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WORDS ABBREVIATED WITH LETTERS AS HOMOPHONES.
Show all four words
CUTIE, EASY, EFFECTS, I OWE YOU
Show one word
BELT is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SAFETY ___.
Show all four words
BELT, GOGGLES, PIN, RAZOR
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- HOT DOG: Old-timey cry of delight, like 'Hot dog, we won!'
- HURRAH: Classic cheer of joy or triumph.
- WHOOPEE: Gleeful, old-fashioned shout of excitement.
- YAHOO: Exuberant whoop of joy, a bit dated.
- COUCH: To couch something is to word it in a certain style.
- EXPRESS: To put a thought or feeling into words.
- FRAME: To frame an idea is to word it a certain way.
- PHRASE: To phrase something is to choose its wording.
- CUTIE: Shortened to QT, which sounds like cutie.
- EASY: Shortened to EZ, which sounds like easy.
- EFFECTS: Shortened to FX, which sounds like effects.
- I OWE YOU: Shortened to IOU, which sounds like I owe you.
Purple group explained
- BELT: A safety belt keeps you secure in a car.
- GOGGLES: Safety goggles shield your eyes in a lab or shop.
- PIN: A safety pin fastens cloth without poking you.
- RAZOR: A safety razor has a guard to prevent deep cuts.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 7 | #1153 | STARTING WITH MALE ANIMALS |
| Aug 6 | #1152 | PLACES WITH NETS |
| Aug 5 | #1151 | WHAT "STOCK" MIGHT REFER TO |
| Aug 4 | #1150 | V-SHAPED THINGS |
| Aug 3 | #1149 | STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "PESTER" |
| Aug 2 | #1148 | U.S. AIRPORT CODES PLUS STARTING LETTER |
| Aug 1 | #1147 | STARTING WITH BREAD SHAPES |
About Connections
Connections is a daily New York Times puzzle where you sort 16 words into four groups of four. Groups are colour-coded from yellow, the most direct, to purple, which usually relies on wordplay. You can make four mistakes. Looking back at past puzzles is one of the best ways to learn the kinds of tricks the editors like to use.
Other puzzles on Aug 8
Connections #1154 questions
What were the Connections answers on August 8, 2026?
QUAINT EXPRESSIONS OF EXCITEMENT: HOT DOG, HURRAH, WHOOPEE, YAHOO. CONVEY: COUCH, EXPRESS, FRAME, PHRASE. WORDS ABBREVIATED WITH LETTERS AS HOMOPHONES: CUTIE, EASY, EFFECTS, I OWE YOU. SAFETY ___: BELT, GOGGLES, PIN, RAZOR.
What was the purple group in Connections #1154?
SAFETY ___: BELT, GOGGLES, PIN, RAZOR.
What made Connections #1154 tricky?
Several words in the cheering group, plus one in the wording group, could pass for exclamations, and a few of the others are physical objects that could be mistaken for each other.