Play Connections #1192
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 #1192 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
Think of what a mentor does to help someone learn the ropes.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These are pieces of a common stovetop item that announces boiling water.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are people secretly placed inside an organization to gather information.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each of these comes last in its own sequence.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Railroad and steam-related words tempt you to group a locomotive car with items that make a sound, and several words work as verbs for managing or leading people.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- INSTRUCT
- PARTS OF A WHISTLING KETTLE
- UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE
- THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END
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Difficulty: Medium. Many words have multiple meanings, and the last category is a loose concept, but the other three groups are fairly easy to spot.
Connections #1192 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 15, 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
COACH is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is INSTRUCT.
Show all four words
COACH, DIRECT, GUIDE, TRAIN
Show one word
HANDLE is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is PARTS OF A WHISTLING KETTLE.
Show all four words
HANDLE, LID, SPOUT, WHISTLE
Show one word
ASSET is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE.
Show all four words
ASSET, MOLE, PLANT, SLEEPER
Show one word
CABOOSE is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END.
Show all four words
CABOOSE, DECEMBER, DESSERT, EPILOGUE
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- COACH: To coach is to teach and mentor someone.
- DIRECT: To direct is to give instructions or orders.
- GUIDE: To guide is to lead someone and show the way.
- TRAIN: To train is to teach skills through practice.
- HANDLE: You grip it to lift the kettle off the stove.
- LID: It covers the opening where you pour in water.
- SPOUT: Boiling water pours out through this.
- WHISTLE: It makes the shrill sound when the water boils.
- ASSET: Intelligence agencies call a valuable secret informant an asset.
- MOLE: A mole is a spy hidden deep inside an organization.
- PLANT: A plant is someone placed inside a group to spy.
- SLEEPER: A sleeper is a spy who lies low until activated.
Purple group explained
- CABOOSE: It is the final car on a freight train.
- DECEMBER: It is the last month of the year.
- DESSERT: It is the last course of a meal.
- EPILOGUE: It is the closing section of a book or play.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 14 | #1191 | ___GRASS |
| 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 |
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 15
Connections #1192 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 15, 2026?
INSTRUCT: COACH, DIRECT, GUIDE, TRAIN. PARTS OF A WHISTLING KETTLE: HANDLE, LID, SPOUT, WHISTLE. UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE: ASSET, MOLE, PLANT, SLEEPER. THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END: CABOOSE, DECEMBER, DESSERT, EPILOGUE.
What was the purple group in Connections #1192?
THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END: CABOOSE, DECEMBER, DESSERT, EPILOGUE.
What made Connections #1192 tricky?
Railroad and steam-related words tempt you to group a locomotive car with items that make a sound, and several words work as verbs for managing or leading people.