Play Connections #1168
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 #1168 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
-
Yellow group hintGentle hint
These are things you would expect to find hanging on the wall of a woodworking shop.
Was this hint -
Green group hintGentle hint
Each one pairs with a big, round, juicy fruit to make a familiar name.
Was this hint -
Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are choices you can twist to on an outdoor spraying nozzle.
Was this hint -
Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each one can start the name of a famous group of women in TV, film, or music.
Was this hint -
Where's the trap?Strong hint
PLANE and JET both suggest aircraft, and WATER, MIST and SHOWER all feel like a wet-weather theme, which pulls words toward the wrong groups.
Was this hint -
The four group namesStrong hint
- CARPENTRY TOOLS
- KINDS OF MELON
- GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS
- ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE
Was this hint
Difficulty: Medium. Several words have double meanings that blur the groups, and the pop-culture category takes a little thought to spot.
Connections #1168 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for August 22, 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
CHISEL is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is CARPENTRY TOOLS.
Show all four words
CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE, SAW
Show one word
BITTER is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is KINDS OF MELON.
Show all four words
BITTER, MUSK, WATER, WINTER
Show one word
CONE is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS.
Show all four words
CONE, JET, MIST, SHOWER
Show one word
GILMORE is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE.
Show all four words
GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN, SPICE
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- CHISEL: Sharp hand tool for carving and shaping wood.
- HAMMER: Basic tool for driving nails.
- PLANE: Smooths and shaves wood surfaces.
- SAW: Cuts boards with a toothed blade.
- BITTER: Bitter melon is an Asian gourd-like fruit.
- MUSK: Muskmelon is a type of cantaloupe.
- WATER: Watermelon is the classic summer melon.
- WINTER: Winter melon is a large Asian gourd.
- CONE: A cone-shaped spray pattern on a nozzle.
- JET: A strong, narrow stream of spray.
- MIST: A fine, light spray setting.
- SHOWER: A gentle, wide spray like rainfall.
Purple group explained
- GILMORE: Gilmore Girls is the TV series about a mother and daughter.
- GOLDEN: The Golden Girls is the classic sitcom about older roommates.
- MEAN: Mean Girls is the hit teen comedy.
- SPICE: Spice Girls were the 90s pop group.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 21 | #1167 | ONCE IN A ___ |
| Aug 20 | #1166 | STARTING WITH CHINESE ZODIAC ANIMALS |
| Aug 19 | #1165 | HOMOPHONES OF CGI-ANIMATED FILMS |
| Aug 18 | #1164 | THINGS THAT ARE GRITTY |
| Aug 17 | #1163 | STARTING WITH PETS |
| Aug 16 | #1162 | DESCRIPTORS FOR OUR HUMAN ANCESTORS |
| Aug 15 | #1161 | ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR FOLLOW SECRETLY |
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 22
Connections #1168 questions
What were the Connections answers on August 22, 2026?
CARPENTRY TOOLS: CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE, SAW. KINDS OF MELON: BITTER, MUSK, WATER, WINTER. GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS: CONE, JET, MIST, SHOWER. ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE: GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN, SPICE.
What was the purple group in Connections #1168?
___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE: GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN, SPICE.
What made Connections #1168 tricky?
PLANE and JET both suggest aircraft, and WATER, MIST and SHOWER all feel like a wet-weather theme, which pulls words toward the wrong groups.