Play Connections #1191
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 #1191 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
Feathered swimmers you might spot paddling around a pond or lake.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Each of these can describe someone who spills secrets to the authorities.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Convenient throwaways that environmental campaigns urge us to give up.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each one can be followed by the same word to name a green plant.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
One of the tattletale words is also a well-known feathered pet, which tempts you to put it with the pond dwellers.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- WATERBIRDS
- INFORMANT
- COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS
- ___GRASS
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Difficulty: Medium. The slang for telling on someone is a bit dated, and the fill-in-the-blank plants mix familiar and less common ones.
Connections #1191 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 14, 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
COOT is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WATERBIRDS.
Show all four words
COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL
Show one word
CANARY is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is INFORMANT.
Show all four words
CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE
Show one word
BAG is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS.
Show all four words
BAG, CUTLERY, STIRRER, STRAW
Show one word
BLUE is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ___GRASS.
Show all four words
BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- COOT: Dark, chicken-like bird that swims in ponds and marshes.
- GOOSE: Large honking bird that swims on lakes and rivers.
- LOON: Diving bird known for its eerie call on northern lakes.
- TEAL: Small dabbling duck found on ponds and wetlands.
- CANARY: Slang for someone who sings to the police.
- RAT: To rat on someone is to betray them.
- SNITCH: Someone who tells on others.
- STOOLIE: Old-time slang for a police informer.
- BAG: Thin carryout sacks are tossed after one trip.
- CUTLERY: Disposable forks and knives from takeout orders.
- STIRRER: Tiny coffee sticks used once and thrown away.
- STRAW: Drinking tube often discarded after a single drink.
Purple group explained
- BLUE: Bluegrass is a lawn plant and a music genre.
- CRAB: Crabgrass is a pesky lawn weed.
- LEMON: Lemongrass is an herb used in Thai cooking.
- WHEAT: Wheatgrass is the young plant juiced as a health shot.
What does STOOLIE mean?
Slang for a person who secretly gives information about criminals to police, short for 'stool pigeon'. Often used in old crime films and stories. It fits the informant group of words.}
What does COOT mean?
A small, dark, duck-like water bird with a white forehead patch and lobed toes, common on lakes and ponds. It is also used jokingly for a crotchety old man, but here it is a waterbird.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 13 | #1190 | ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS |
| Sep 12 | #1189 | ___ ALERT |
| 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 |
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 14
Connections #1191 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 14, 2026?
WATERBIRDS: COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL. INFORMANT: CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE. COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS: BAG, CUTLERY, STIRRER, STRAW. ___GRASS: BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT.
What was the purple group in Connections #1191?
___GRASS: BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT.
What made Connections #1191 tricky?
One of the tattletale words is also a well-known feathered pet, which tempts you to put it with the pond dwellers.