Play Connections #1189
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 #1189 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
Drivers add these extras to make a vehicle feel like their own.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These are the kinds of users you'd meet in internet discussion threads.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Each of these flashes on and off in a steady rhythm.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each of these can be followed by the same word, one you might see in a phone notification.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
One word is also a real car part, so it tempts you to put it with the vehicle decorations when it actually belongs with a fill-in-the-blank word.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR
- PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM
- THINGS THAT BLINK
- ___ ALERT
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Difficulty: Medium. Three of the groups are easy to spot, but the fill-in-the-blank set needs a moment, and a few words could be pulled into the wrong group.
Connections #1189 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 12, 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
BUMPER STICKER is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR.
Show all four words
BUMPER STICKER, FUZZY DICE, HOOD ORNAMENT, VANITY PLATE
Show one word
LURKER is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM.
Show all four words
LURKER, POSTER, SPAMMER, TROLL
Show one word
CURSOR is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS THAT BLINK.
Show all four words
CURSOR, EYELIDS, SMOKE DETECTOR, TURN SIGNAL
Show one word
NERD is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ___ ALERT.
Show all four words
NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- BUMPER STICKER: Adhesive message slapped on the back of a vehicle
- FUZZY DICE: Classic decoration dangling from the rearview mirror
- HOOD ORNAMENT: Decorative emblem mounted on the front of a vehicle
- VANITY PLATE: Custom license plate with a chosen message
- LURKER: Reads the threads but never joins in
- POSTER: Someone who writes messages on the board
- SPAMMER: Floods threads with junk or ads
- TROLL: Stirs up trouble just to provoke people
- CURSOR: Flashing line showing where typing will appear
- EYELIDS: Close and open rapidly to moisten eyes
- SMOKE DETECTOR: Small light flashes to show it's working
- TURN SIGNAL: Flashing light that shows which way you're turning
Purple group explained
- NERD: Playful phrase for a geeky moment, followed by 'alert'
- RED: Highest-level emergency warning, as in 'red alert'
- SPOILER: Warns you before plot secrets are revealed
- WEATHER: Notice about storms or other dangerous conditions
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 11 | #1188 | THINGS THAT ARE PUSHED METAPHORICALLY |
| Sep 10 | #1187 | ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW" |
| Sep 9 | #1186 | WORDS BEFORE "FORCE" |
| Sep 8 | #1185 | CANDY BARS PLUS A LETTER |
| Sep 7 | #1184 | STARTING WITH DISNEY CHARACTERS |
| Sep 6 | #1183 | ENDING WITH WAYS TO CARVE A SURFACE |
| Sep 5 | #1182 | DESSERTS MINUS LAST 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 12
Connections #1189 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 12, 2026?
WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR: BUMPER STICKER, FUZZY DICE, HOOD ORNAMENT, VANITY PLATE. PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM: LURKER, POSTER, SPAMMER, TROLL. THINGS THAT BLINK: CURSOR, EYELIDS, SMOKE DETECTOR, TURN SIGNAL. ___ ALERT: NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER.
What was the purple group in Connections #1189?
___ ALERT: NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER.
What made Connections #1189 tricky?
One word is also a real car part, so it tempts you to put it with the vehicle decorations when it actually belongs with a fill-in-the-blank word.