Play Connections #1226
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 #1226 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 someone so angry they are practically a pot about to overflow.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Empty chatter from a person who loves the sound of their own voice.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Add a two-letter prefix and you can order these at the drive-thru.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Check how each word finishes to find something with wings.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Several words suggest heat, vapor, or air, so steamy words and windy words can easily get mixed together.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- SEETHE
- ALL TALK
- "MC" THINGS AT MCDONALD'S
- ENDING IN BIRDS
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Difficulty: Medium. The fast-food group is easy to spot, but the hidden endings are sneaky and a few words fit two different groups.
Connections #1226 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for October 19, 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
BOIL is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SEETHE.
Show all four words
BOIL, FUME, RAVE, STEAM
Show one word
BLATHER is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ALL TALK.
Show all four words
BLATHER, GAS, HOT AIR, WIND
Show one word
FLURRY is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is "MC" THINGS AT MCDONALD'S.
Show all four words
FLURRY, MUFFIN, NUGGETS, RIB
Show one word
ALIBIS is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ENDING IN BIRDS.
Show all four words
ALIBIS, BALLOON, ESCROW, MOHAWK
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- BOIL: To seethe is to boil with anger.
- FUME: To fume is to be silently furious.
- RAVE: To rave is to rant wildly in anger.
- STEAM: To steam is to be very angry.
- BLATHER: To blather is to chatter on pointlessly.
- GAS: Gas means idle, empty chatter.
- HOT AIR: Hot air is boastful, meaningless speech.
- WIND: Wind means long-winded empty speech.
- FLURRY: McFlurry is a McDonald's ice cream dessert.
- MUFFIN: McMuffin is a breakfast sandwich.
- NUGGETS: McNuggets are bite-sized chicken pieces.
- RIB: McRib is the famous seasonal pork sandwich.
Purple group explained
- ALIBIS: Ends in IBIS, a wading bird.
- BALLOON: Ends in LOON, a diving bird.
- ESCROW: Ends in CROW, a black bird.
- MOHAWK: Ends in HAWK, a bird of prey.
What does BLATHER mean?
To talk at length in a silly, rambling way without saying anything useful. It can also be the noun for that kind of nonsense talk. It fits the group of empty chatter.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 18 | #1225 | STARTING WITH THINGS THAT CLOUD THE AIR |
| Oct 17 | #1224 | LA ___ |
| Oct 16 | #1223 | STARTING WITH WORDS FOR "STYLISH" |
| Oct 15 | #1222 | LOW LANDFORMS WITH A LETTER CHANGED |
| Oct 14 | #1221 | STARTING WITH "FEE, FI, FO, FUM" |
| Oct 13 | #1220 | LOOSE ___ |
| Oct 12 | #1219 | WORDS MADE USING U.S. POSTAL ABBREVIATIONS |
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 19
Connections #1226 questions
What were the Connections answers on October 19, 2026?
SEETHE: BOIL, FUME, RAVE, STEAM. ALL TALK: BLATHER, GAS, HOT AIR, WIND. "MC" THINGS AT MCDONALD'S: FLURRY, MUFFIN, NUGGETS, RIB. ENDING IN BIRDS: ALIBIS, BALLOON, ESCROW, MOHAWK.
What was the purple group in Connections #1226?
ENDING IN BIRDS: ALIBIS, BALLOON, ESCROW, MOHAWK.
What made Connections #1226 tricky?
Several words suggest heat, vapor, or air, so steamy words and windy words can easily get mixed together.