Play Connections #1180
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 #1180 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 all describe a very brief moment in time.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Think of rich hues from the warm side of the color wheel.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are names that many kids grew up with in the playroom.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
You might type these after an equals sign to crunch a column of numbers.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
A few words could tempt you into a fiery, hot-and-flashy group, but they actually belong to different categories.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- TWO SHAKES OF A LAMB'S TAIL
- SHADES OF RED
- TOY CAR BRANDS
- SPREADSHEET FUNCTIONS
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Difficulty: Medium. Most of the vocabulary is familiar, but one group needs some nostalgic product knowledge and another relies on less common color names.
Connections #1180 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 3, 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
BLINK is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is TWO SHAKES OF A LAMB'S TAIL.
Show all four words
BLINK, FLASH, HEARTBEAT, TRICE
Show one word
CARMINE is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SHADES OF RED.
Show all four words
CARMINE, CINNABAR, MAROON, VERMILLION
Show one word
HOT WHEELS is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is TOY CAR BRANDS.
Show all four words
HOT WHEELS, MATCHBOX, MICRO MACHINES, TONKA
Show one word
AVERAGE is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SPREADSHEET FUNCTIONS.
Show all four words
AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, SUM
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- BLINK: A blink is over in an instant.
- FLASH: A flash of light lasts only a moment.
- HEARTBEAT: Something can happen in a heartbeat, meaning very fast.
- TRICE: In a trice means in an instant.
- CARMINE: A deep, vivid red pigment.
- CINNABAR: A bright red-orange mineral and pigment.
- MAROON: A dark brownish red.
- VERMILLION: A brilliant orange-red color.
- HOT WHEELS: Mattel's famous line of small die-cast cars.
- MATCHBOX: A classic maker of tiny die-cast vehicles.
- MICRO MACHINES: Tiny vehicles and playsets from the 1980s and 90s.
- TONKA: Known for tough toy trucks and construction vehicles.
Purple group explained
- AVERAGE: A formula that finds the mean of a range.
- COUNT: A formula that tallies the cells holding numbers.
- MAX: A formula that returns the largest value.
- SUM: A formula that adds up a range of numbers.
What does CINNABAR mean?
A bright red mineral made of mercury and sulfur, historically the main source of mercury and used to make a vivid red pigment. Here it fits as a shade of red named after the mineral.
What does TRICE mean?
A very short moment, mostly known from the phrase 'in a trice,' meaning instantly or in no time at all. Here it fits as a way of saying a very brief instant.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2 | #1179 | ___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS) |
| Sep 1 | #1178 | STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION |
| Aug 31 | #1177 | ___ BOWL |
| 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 |
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 Sep 3
Connections #1180 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 3, 2026?
TWO SHAKES OF A LAMB'S TAIL: BLINK, FLASH, HEARTBEAT, TRICE. SHADES OF RED: CARMINE, CINNABAR, MAROON, VERMILLION. TOY CAR BRANDS: HOT WHEELS, MATCHBOX, MICRO MACHINES, TONKA. SPREADSHEET FUNCTIONS: AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, SUM.
What was the purple group in Connections #1180?
SPREADSHEET FUNCTIONS: AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, SUM.
What made Connections #1180 tricky?
A few words could tempt you into a fiery, hot-and-flashy group, but they actually belong to different categories.