Play Connections #1202
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 #1202 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
These all describe something upscale and high-end.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These are internal pieces that keep an old-fashioned timekeeper running.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are last names of well-known men who share a first name.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each is a scientific sorting term disguised by one extra letter.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
One word that is really a hidden-letter trick also happens to mean stylish, so it can pull you toward the upscale group.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- LUXE
- PARTS OF A MECHANICAL CLOCK
- FAMOUS DANS
- TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER
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Difficulty: Medium. The upscale and timekeeping groups are fairly direct, but spotting the extra-letter trick takes a bit of careful thought.
Connections #1202 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 25, 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
BOUGIE is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is LUXE.
Show all four words
BOUGIE, FANCY, POSH, SWANK
Show one word
ESCAPEMENT 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 MECHANICAL CLOCK.
Show all four words
ESCAPEMENT, PENDULUM, RATCHET, SPRING
Show one word
AYKROYD is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is FAMOUS DANS.
Show all four words
AYKROYD, LEVY, RATHER, SAVAGE
Show one word
BORDER is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER.
Show all four words
BORDER, CLASSY, FOAMILY, GENIUS
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- BOUGIE: Slang for upscale or high-end in taste.
- FANCY: Elegant and expensive-looking.
- POSH: Stylish and upper-class.
- SWANK: Impressively luxurious and stylish.
- ESCAPEMENT: Releases the gear train's energy in regular small steps.
- PENDULUM: Swinging weight that regulates the timekeeping.
- RATCHET: Toothed wheel and pawl that allow motion in one direction.
- SPRING: Coiled metal that stores the energy to power movement.
- AYKROYD: Dan Aykroyd, Ghostbusters actor and Saturday Night Live alum.
- LEVY: Dan Levy, co-creator and star of Schitt's Creek.
- RATHER: Dan Rather, longtime CBS news anchor.
- SAVAGE: Dan Savage, sex-advice columnist and author.
Purple group explained
- BORDER: ORDER with an added B in front.
- CLASSY: CLASS with a Y added at the end.
- FOAMILY: FAMILY with an extra O inserted.
- GENIUS: GENUS with an extra I inserted.
What does ESCAPEMENT mean?
The part of a mechanical clock or watch that releases the gears one tooth at a time, producing the steady ticking and passing energy to the pendulum. It fits the group of clock parts.
What does BOUGIE mean?
Slang for fancy or upscale, often with a hint of mocking pretension, from 'bourgeois'. It means showing off middle-class taste or luxury. It fits the group of words meaning luxurious.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 24 | #1201 | ANAGRAMS |
| Sep 23 | #1200 | ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "TERM" |
| Sep 22 | #1199 | BEVERAGES WITH ACUTE ACCENTS REMOVED |
| Sep 21 | #1198 | STARTS OF COMPOSERS' NAMES |
| Sep 20 | #1197 | ___BOARDS YOU RIDE ON |
| Sep 19 | #1196 | STARTING WITH ABBREVIATED MATH FUNCTIONS |
| Sep 18 | #1195 | ___CASE |
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 25
Connections #1202 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 25, 2026?
LUXE: BOUGIE, FANCY, POSH, SWANK. PARTS OF A MECHANICAL CLOCK: ESCAPEMENT, PENDULUM, RATCHET, SPRING. FAMOUS DANS: AYKROYD, LEVY, RATHER, SAVAGE. TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER: BORDER, CLASSY, FOAMILY, GENIUS.
What was the purple group in Connections #1202?
TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER: BORDER, CLASSY, FOAMILY, GENIUS.
What made Connections #1202 tricky?
One word that is really a hidden-letter trick also happens to mean stylish, so it can pull you toward the upscale group.