Play Connections #1195
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 #1195 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 one is a point you reach on the way to finishing something.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These menu items let you taste a bit of everything instead of committing to one dish.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are moments you pass through on a trip from the gate to your destination in the sky.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each one becomes a new everyday word when you add the same ending to the back.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
One word that sounds like an air-travel term actually belongs with the food and drink items, and several process words could easily be mistaken for it.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- SEGMENT OF A PROCESS
- ASSORTMENTS OF FOOD/DRINK
- PARTS OF A FLIGHT
- ___CASE
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Difficulty: Medium. The air-travel theme tempts you to over-group, and the wordplay set needs you to spot a shared ending.
Connections #1195 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 18, 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
PHASE is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SEGMENT OF A PROCESS.
Show all four words
PHASE, ROUND, STAGE, STEP
Show one word
FLIGHT is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ASSORTMENTS OF FOOD/DRINK.
Show all four words
FLIGHT, MEDLEY, PLATTER, SAMPLER
Show one word
BOARDING is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is PARTS OF A FLIGHT.
Show all four words
BOARDING, CRUISE, LANDING, TAKEOFF
Show one word
BRIEF is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ___CASE.
Show all four words
BRIEF, PILLOW, STAIR, UPPER
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- PHASE: A distinct period within an ongoing process
- ROUND: One cycle of a multi-part process, like interviews
- STAGE: A point of progress along the way
- STEP: One action in a sequence of actions
- FLIGHT: A set of small pours, like beer or wine tasters
- MEDLEY: A mixed selection of different items
- PLATTER: A large dish holding a variety of foods
- SAMPLER: A selection of small tastes of various items
- BOARDING: Getting on the plane before departure
- CRUISE: The steady middle part at altitude
- LANDING: Touching down at the destination
- TAKEOFF: Leaving the ground at the start
Purple group explained
- BRIEF: Briefcase is a bag for papers
- PILLOW: Pillowcase covers a pillow
- STAIR: Staircase is a set of steps between floors
- UPPER: Uppercase means capital letters
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 17 | #1194 | LOVE ___ |
| Sep 16 | #1193 | SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTER |
| Sep 15 | #1192 | THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END |
| Sep 14 | #1191 | ___GRASS |
| Sep 13 | #1190 | ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS |
| Sep 12 | #1189 | ___ ALERT |
| Sep 11 | #1188 | THINGS THAT ARE PUSHED METAPHORICALLY |
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 18
Connections #1195 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 18, 2026?
SEGMENT OF A PROCESS: PHASE, ROUND, STAGE, STEP. ASSORTMENTS OF FOOD/DRINK: FLIGHT, MEDLEY, PLATTER, SAMPLER. PARTS OF A FLIGHT: BOARDING, CRUISE, LANDING, TAKEOFF. ___CASE: BRIEF, PILLOW, STAIR, UPPER.
What was the purple group in Connections #1195?
___CASE: BRIEF, PILLOW, STAIR, UPPER.
What made Connections #1195 tricky?
One word that sounds like an air-travel term actually belongs with the food and drink items, and several process words could easily be mistaken for it.