Play Connections #1198
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 #1198 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
You would click these while managing messages in your inbox app.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Anglers rely on these tricks to get a bite.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are things you do during a classic two-player strategy game.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Add a few more letters to each and you get a famous name from classical music.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Some words sound like computer nuisances or everyday slang, which can tempt you to group them by those meanings instead.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- EMAIL BUTTONS
- WAYS TO ATTRACT FISH
- CHESS VERBS
- STARTS OF COMPOSERS' NAMES
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Difficulty: Medium. Three groups are fairly straightforward, but the last one needs you to spot partial names, and a few words have several meanings.
Connections #1198 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 21, 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
COMPOSE is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is EMAIL BUTTONS.
Show all four words
COMPOSE, DRAFTS, SENT, SPAM
Show one word
CHUM is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WAYS TO ATTRACT FISH.
Show all four words
CHUM, FLY, SPINNER, WORM
Show one word
CAPTURE is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is CHESS VERBS.
Show all four words
CAPTURE, CASTLE, CHECK, MATE
Show one word
BEET is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is STARTS OF COMPOSERS' NAMES.
Show all four words
BEET, BRAH, CHOP, VIVA
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- COMPOSE: Button that starts a brand new message
- DRAFTS: Folder holding messages you haven't finished or sent
- SENT: Folder of messages already delivered
- SPAM: Folder for junk mail
- CHUM: Ground-up bait tossed in the water to draw fish
- FLY: Artificial lure used in fly fishing
- SPINNER: Flashing metal lure that spins to catch attention
- WORM: Classic live bait on a hook
- CAPTURE: Take an opponent's piece off the board
- CASTLE: Special move pairing the king with a rook
- CHECK: Put the opposing king under direct threat
- MATE: Trap the king for the win
Purple group explained
- BEET: Start of Beethoven
- BRAH: Start of Brahms
- CHOP: Start of Chopin
- VIVA: Start of Vivaldi
What does SPINNER mean?
A fishing lure with a small metal blade that spins in the water, flashing and vibrating to draw fish toward the hook. Here it fits the group of ways to attract fish.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 20 | #1197 | ___BOARDS YOU RIDE ON |
| Sep 19 | #1196 | STARTING WITH ABBREVIATED MATH FUNCTIONS |
| Sep 18 | #1195 | ___CASE |
| Sep 17 | #1194 | LOVE ___ |
| Sep 16 | #1193 | SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTER |
| Sep 15 | #1192 | THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END |
| Sep 14 | #1191 | ___GRASS |
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 21
Connections #1198 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 21, 2026?
EMAIL BUTTONS: COMPOSE, DRAFTS, SENT, SPAM. WAYS TO ATTRACT FISH: CHUM, FLY, SPINNER, WORM. CHESS VERBS: CAPTURE, CASTLE, CHECK, MATE. STARTS OF COMPOSERS' NAMES: BEET, BRAH, CHOP, VIVA.
What was the purple group in Connections #1198?
STARTS OF COMPOSERS' NAMES: BEET, BRAH, CHOP, VIVA.
What made Connections #1198 tricky?
Some words sound like computer nuisances or everyday slang, which can tempt you to group them by those meanings instead.