Play Connections #1174
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 #1174 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
Friendly send-offs you might say to someone about to turn in.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Flip each one around letter by letter and nothing changes.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Slangy bits you attach to other words to sound current online.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each one can finish the same phrase about being the best or first.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Words about time of day and family nicknames overlap across groups, so you may be tempted to group them by theme instead of by how they work.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- BEDTIME PARTING WORDS
- PALINDROMES
- MODERN ADD-ONS/COMBINING FORMS
- TOP OF THE ___
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Difficulty: Medium. Two groups are easy to spot, but the slang endings and the fill-in-the-blank phrase need some lateral thinking.
Connections #1174 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for August 28, 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
NIGHT is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is BEDTIME PARTING WORDS.
Show all four words
NIGHT, REST EASY, SLEEP TIGHT, SWEET DREAMS
Show one word
MOM is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is PALINDROMES.
Show all four words
MOM, NOON, SIS, TOP SPOT
Show one word
BRO is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is MODERN ADD-ONS/COMBINING FORMS.
Show all four words
BRO, CODED, ERA, MAXXING
Show one word
HOUR is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is TOP OF THE ___.
Show all four words
HOUR, LINE, MORNING, POPS
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- NIGHT: Short for 'good night,' a classic farewell before sleep.
- REST EASY: Wishes someone a peaceful sleep.
- SLEEP TIGHT: Traditional bedtime goodbye.
- SWEET DREAMS: A kind wish as someone drifts off.
- MOM: Reads M-O-M both ways.
- NOON: Reads N-O-O-N both ways.
- SIS: Reads S-I-S both ways.
- TOP SPOT: TOPSPOT is the same backwards, ignoring the space.
- BRO: Prefix as in 'brocode' or a suffix in slang like 'bro-ification.'
- CODED: Suffix in slang like 'tech-coded' or 'villain-coded.'
- ERA: Suffix in slang like 'villain era' or 'flop era.'
- MAXXING: Suffix in slang like 'looksmaxxing' or 'sleepmaxxing.'
Purple group explained
- HOUR: 'Top of the hour' means the start of a new hour.
- LINE: 'Top of the line' means the best quality.
- MORNING: 'Top of the morning' is a cheery Irish greeting.
- POPS: 'Top of the Pops' was a famous British music show.
What does MAXXING mean?
Internet slang suffix meaning to pursue or optimize something to the extreme, as in 'looksmaxxing' or 'gymmaxxing'. It comes from gaming 'min-maxing' and is attached to a word to show intense self-improvement. Here it works as a modern add-on.
What does CODED mean?
Used as a suffix in recent slang, as in 'queer-coded' or 'villain-coded', meaning a person or thing seems to carry the traits or vibe of a particular group or category without saying so outright. Here it works as a modern add-on.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 27 | #1173 | MUSIC GENRE PLUS STARTING LETTER |
| Aug 26 | #1172 | KEY ___ |
| Aug 25 | #1171 | ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS |
| Aug 24 | #1170 | LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM |
| Aug 23 | #1169 | HOUSEHOLD STAIN REMOVERS |
| Aug 22 | #1168 | ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE |
| Aug 21 | #1167 | ONCE IN A ___ |
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 28
Connections #1174 questions
What were the Connections answers on August 28, 2026?
BEDTIME PARTING WORDS: NIGHT, REST EASY, SLEEP TIGHT, SWEET DREAMS. PALINDROMES: MOM, NOON, SIS, TOP SPOT. MODERN ADD-ONS/COMBINING FORMS: BRO, CODED, ERA, MAXXING. TOP OF THE ___: HOUR, LINE, MORNING, POPS.
What was the purple group in Connections #1174?
TOP OF THE ___: HOUR, LINE, MORNING, POPS.
What made Connections #1174 tricky?
Words about time of day and family nicknames overlap across groups, so you may be tempted to group them by theme instead of by how they work.