Play Connections #1221
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 #1221 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 a tiny sign or slight indication that something is there.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These are strokes you might see on a grass court at Wimbledon.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Comic book crime-fighters who can each follow a common article.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each one opens with a sound from a giant's famous chant in a beanstalk tale.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Flash and flicker both suggest a brief glimmer of light, and smash could also pass for a Hulk catchphrase, so several words seem to belong in the wrong group.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- HINT
- TENNIS SHOTS
- SUPERHEROES, WITH "THE"
- STARTING WITH "FEE, FI, FO, FUM"
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Difficulty: Medium. Two groups are straightforward, but the wordplay group relies on spotting word beginnings and the hero group needs some comic book knowledge.
Connections #1221 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for October 14, 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
FLICKER is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is HINT.
Show all four words
FLICKER, SUGGESTION, TRACE, WHIFF
Show one word
SERVE is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is TENNIS SHOTS.
Show all four words
SERVE, SLICE, SMASH, VOLLEY
Show one word
FLASH is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SUPERHEROES, WITH "THE".
Show all four words
FLASH, HULK, PUNISHER, THING
Show one word
FEED is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is STARTING WITH "FEE, FI, FO, FUM".
Show all four words
FEED, FIERY, FOMENT, FUMBLE
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- FLICKER: A flicker of emotion is a slight sign of it.
- SUGGESTION: A suggestion of something is a subtle indication.
- TRACE: A trace of something is a faint sign it was there.
- WHIFF: A whiff of scandal means a slight hint of it.
- SERVE: The stroke that starts each point.
- SLICE: A shot hit with backspin or sidespin.
- SMASH: A hard overhead shot hit downward.
- VOLLEY: A shot hit before the ball bounces.
- FLASH: The Flash is the DC speedster.
- HULK: The Hulk is Marvel's big green rager.
- PUNISHER: The Punisher is Marvel's gun-toting vigilante.
- THING: The Thing is the rocky Fantastic Four member.
Purple group explained
- FEED: Starts with FEE.
- FIERY: Starts with FI.
- FOMENT: Starts with FO.
- FUMBLE: Starts with FUM.
What does FOMENT mean?
To stir up or provoke trouble, unrest, or rebellion, encouraging it to grow. It is a formal word, usually used with negative things like conflict. It fits the group of words that begin with 'FO'.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 13 | #1220 | LOOSE ___ |
| Oct 12 | #1219 | WORDS MADE USING U.S. POSTAL ABBREVIATIONS |
| Oct 11 | #1218 | ENDING IN GAMBITS |
| Oct 10 | #1217 | ___BOXING |
| Oct 9 | #1216 | AIR ___ |
| Oct 8 | #1215 | ENDING IN ACTORS NAMED TOM |
| Oct 7 | #1214 | BEST ___ TONY AWARDS |
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 Oct 14
Connections #1221 questions
What were the Connections answers on October 14, 2026?
HINT: FLICKER, SUGGESTION, TRACE, WHIFF. TENNIS SHOTS: SERVE, SLICE, SMASH, VOLLEY. SUPERHEROES, WITH "THE": FLASH, HULK, PUNISHER, THING. STARTING WITH "FEE, FI, FO, FUM": FEED, FIERY, FOMENT, FUMBLE.
What was the purple group in Connections #1221?
STARTING WITH "FEE, FI, FO, FUM": FEED, FIERY, FOMENT, FUMBLE.
What made Connections #1221 tricky?
Flash and flicker both suggest a brief glimmer of light, and smash could also pass for a Hulk catchphrase, so several words seem to belong in the wrong group.