Play Connections #1203
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 #1203 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
Reach for one of these before a close conversation.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These are steps that turn a rumpled garment into a crisp one.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are natural markings you might spot on a board cut from a tree.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each one completes a familiar saying that starts with the same slangy adjective.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Several words sound like grooming or garment-care steps, and one word hidden inside a mouth-care product matches a laundry step, which tempts you to blend those two groups.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- BREATH FRESHENERS
- THINGS DONE TO A DRESS SHIRT AT THE LAUNDRY
- FEATURES OF WOOD
- "COOL" THINGS, IN EXPRESSIONS
Was this hint
Difficulty: Medium. Two groups share an everyday cleanliness theme that can blur together, but the phrase-based set is familiar and the nature-themed set is clear-cut.
Connections #1203 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for September 26, 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
GUM is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is BREATH FRESHENERS.
Show all four words
GUM, MINT, MOUTHWASH, SPRAY
Show one word
FOLD is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS DONE TO A DRESS SHIRT AT THE LAUNDRY.
Show all four words
FOLD, PRESS, STARCH, WASH
Show one word
BURL is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is FEATURES OF WOOD.
Show all four words
BURL, GRAIN, KNOTS, RINGS
Show one word
BEANS is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is "COOL" THINGS, IN EXPRESSIONS.
Show all four words
BEANS, CAT, CUCUMBER, CUSTOMER
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- GUM: Chewing it masks odors and freshens your mouth.
- MINT: A small candy that quickly freshens your breath.
- MOUTHWASH: Swishing it kills germs and leaves a fresh taste.
- SPRAY: Breath sprays give a quick minty burst.
- FOLD: Shirts are neatly folded for packaging after cleaning.
- PRESS: Pressing with heat removes wrinkles.
- STARCH: Starch adds stiffness and a crisp finish to collars.
- WASH: Washing cleans the shirt first.
- BURL: A burl is a rounded, swirly growth in a tree.
- GRAIN: Grain is the pattern of fibers running through wood.
- KNOTS: Knots are dark spots where branches once grew.
- RINGS: Growth rings show a tree's age in a cross-section.
Purple group explained
- BEANS: 'Cool beans' is slang for approval.
- CAT: A 'cool cat' is a stylish, laid-back person.
- CUCUMBER: 'Cool as a cucumber' means calm under pressure.
- CUSTOMER: A 'cool customer' stays unflappable and composed.
What does BURL mean?
A rounded, swirling growth on a tree trunk or branch, often caused by stress or injury, which gives wood a distinctive twisted pattern prized by woodworkers. Here it is a visible feature of wood.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | #1202 | TAXONOMIC RANKS PLUS A LETTER |
| 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 |
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 26
Connections #1203 questions
What were the Connections answers on September 26, 2026?
BREATH FRESHENERS: GUM, MINT, MOUTHWASH, SPRAY. THINGS DONE TO A DRESS SHIRT AT THE LAUNDRY: FOLD, PRESS, STARCH, WASH. FEATURES OF WOOD: BURL, GRAIN, KNOTS, RINGS. "COOL" THINGS, IN EXPRESSIONS: BEANS, CAT, CUCUMBER, CUSTOMER.
What was the purple group in Connections #1203?
"COOL" THINGS, IN EXPRESSIONS: BEANS, CAT, CUCUMBER, CUSTOMER.
What made Connections #1203 tricky?
Several words sound like grooming or garment-care steps, and one word hidden inside a mouth-care product matches a laundry step, which tempts you to blend those two groups.