Play Connections #1228
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 #1228 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 recess on the playground, with running, tagging, and plenty of giggles.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These nicknames all describe someone who runs the show.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Picture the walls of a big art museum, with crowds gathered around these canvases.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each name gets it wrong twice, so think about what the thing really is.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Lots of food words and animal words are scattered across the grid, which tempts you to build a snack group or a zoo group that does not exist.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- CLASSIC CHILDREN'S GAMES
- IMPORTANT PERSON
- FAMOUS PAINTINGS
- DOUBLE MISNOMERS (NEITHER WORD IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION)
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Difficulty: Medium. Three of the groups are fairly direct, but the last one needs you to know what some oddly named things really are.
Connections #1228 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for October 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
DUCK DUCK GOOSE is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is CLASSIC CHILDREN'S GAMES.
Show all four words
DUCK DUCK GOOSE, HOT POTATO, LEAPFROG, MUSICAL CHAIRS
Show one word
ALPHA DOG is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is IMPORTANT PERSON.
Show all four words
ALPHA DOG, BIG CHEESE, HEAVYWEIGHT, TOP BANANA
Show one word
AMERICAN GOTHIC is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is FAMOUS PAINTINGS.
Show all four words
AMERICAN GOTHIC, CAMPBELL'S SOUP CAN, SUNFLOWERS, THE SCREAM
Show one word
ENGLISH HORN is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is DOUBLE MISNOMERS (NEITHER WORD IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION).
Show all four words
ENGLISH HORN, GRAPE-NUTS, MANTIS SHRIMP, SWEETBREAD
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- DUCK DUCK GOOSE: Kids sit in a circle while one picks a chaser.
- HOT POTATO: Players toss an object quickly so they are not holding it.
- LEAPFROG: Kids take turns jumping over each other's backs.
- MUSICAL CHAIRS: Players race for seats when the music stops.
- ALPHA DOG: The dominant leader of the pack.
- BIG CHEESE: Slang for an important boss.
- HEAVYWEIGHT: A powerful, influential person in a field.
- TOP BANANA: The boss or lead person in charge.
- AMERICAN GOTHIC: Grant Wood's painting of a farmer and his daughter.
- CAMPBELL'S SOUP CAN: Andy Warhol's pop art work.
- SUNFLOWERS: Van Gogh's series of yellow flowers in a vase.
- THE SCREAM: Edvard Munch's anguished figure on a bridge.
Purple group explained
- ENGLISH HORN: Not English and not a horn; it is a French woodwind.
- GRAPE-NUTS: No grapes and no nuts; it is wheat and barley cereal.
- MANTIS SHRIMP: Neither a mantis nor a shrimp; it is a crustacean.
- SWEETBREAD: Not sweet and not bread; it is organ meat.
What does ENGLISH HORN mean?
A woodwind instrument, a bit larger and lower in pitch than an oboe, with a bulb-shaped bell. It is not English and it is not a horn, which is why it counts as a double misnomer.
What does MANTIS SHRIMP mean?
A colorful sea creature with powerful striking claws, known for punching extremely fast. It is neither a mantis nor a shrimp, though it is named after both, which makes it a double misnomer.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 20 | #1227 | HOMOPHONES OF DISNEY CHARACTERS |
| Oct 19 | #1226 | ENDING IN BIRDS |
| 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" |
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 21
Connections #1228 questions
What were the Connections answers on October 21, 2026?
CLASSIC CHILDREN'S GAMES: DUCK DUCK GOOSE, HOT POTATO, LEAPFROG, MUSICAL CHAIRS. IMPORTANT PERSON: ALPHA DOG, BIG CHEESE, HEAVYWEIGHT, TOP BANANA. FAMOUS PAINTINGS: AMERICAN GOTHIC, CAMPBELL'S SOUP CAN, SUNFLOWERS, THE SCREAM. DOUBLE MISNOMERS (NEITHER WORD IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION): ENGLISH HORN, GRAPE-NUTS, MANTIS SHRIMP, SWEETBREAD.
What was the purple group in Connections #1228?
DOUBLE MISNOMERS (NEITHER WORD IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION): ENGLISH HORN, GRAPE-NUTS, MANTIS SHRIMP, SWEETBREAD.
What made Connections #1228 tricky?
Lots of food words and animal words are scattered across the grid, which tempts you to build a snack group or a zoo group that does not exist.