Play Connections #1177
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 #1177 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
Each of these is packed in a long, round container.
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Green group hintGentle hint
You might see these labels stamped on a package heading to your door.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Rulers from long ago went by these names.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Add a round dish to the end of each one to form a new phrase.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
A couple of food-related words tempt you to link a dish with a label about spoilage, but they belong in different places.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES
- WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX
- HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES
- ___ BOWL
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Difficulty: Medium. Most groups are easy to spot, but the fill-in-the-blank set has one entry that is easy to miss until you see the pattern.
Connections #1177 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for August 31, 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
LIPSTICK is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES.
Show all four words
LIPSTICK, POSTER, TENNIS BALLS, TOOTHPASTE
Show one word
FRAGILE is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX.
Show all four words
FRAGILE, HEAVY, PERISHABLE, THIS SIDE UP
Show one word
CALIPH is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES.
Show all four words
CALIPH, KHAN, PHARAOH, SHOGUN
Show one word
DUST is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ___ BOWL.
Show all four words
DUST, POKE, SALAD, SUPER
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- LIPSTICK: Sold in a small tube you twist up.
- POSTER: Rolled up and shipped or stored in a tube.
- TENNIS BALLS: Sold stacked in a cylindrical tube.
- TOOTHPASTE: Squeezed from a tube.
- FRAGILE: Label telling handlers the contents break easily.
- HEAVY: Label cautioning that the package is hard to lift.
- PERISHABLE: Label noting the contents can spoil.
- THIS SIDE UP: Label showing which way to hold the package.
- CALIPH: Leader of an Islamic state in the past.
- KHAN: Mongol ruler title.
- PHARAOH: Ancient Egyptian king.
- SHOGUN: Military ruler of feudal Japan.
Purple group explained
- DUST: Dust Bowl, the 1930s Great Plains disaster region.
- POKE: Poke bowl, a Hawaiian dish.
- SALAD: Salad bowl, a dish for serving greens.
- SUPER: Super Bowl, the NFL championship game.
What does CALIPH mean?
The political and religious leader of a Muslim community, regarded as a successor to the prophet Muhammad. Caliphs ruled large Islamic empires for centuries. Here it fits as a title held by historical rulers.
What does SHOGUN mean?
A hereditary military dictator who held real power in feudal Japan while the emperor remained a figurehead. Here it fits as a title held by historical rulers.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 30 | #1176 | WORDS ON AN OLD WEST WANTED POSTER |
| Aug 29 | #1175 | STARTING WITH FIGURES FROM GREEK MYTH |
| Aug 28 | #1174 | TOP OF THE ___ |
| 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 |
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 31
Connections #1177 questions
What were the Connections answers on August 31, 2026?
THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES: LIPSTICK, POSTER, TENNIS BALLS, TOOTHPASTE. WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX: FRAGILE, HEAVY, PERISHABLE, THIS SIDE UP. HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES: CALIPH, KHAN, PHARAOH, SHOGUN. ___ BOWL: DUST, POKE, SALAD, SUPER.
What was the purple group in Connections #1177?
___ BOWL: DUST, POKE, SALAD, SUPER.
What made Connections #1177 tricky?
A couple of food-related words tempt you to link a dish with a label about spoilage, but they belong in different places.