Play Connections #1232
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 #1232 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 what a sneaky thief might do to someone's wallet.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These are noodles from a boxed dinner, each with a distinctive form.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Characters from books who share a first name that is short for Thomas.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each one can be given a quick, sharp action that makes a crack, a pop, or a start.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Several words name parts of the body, which tempts you to group them together even though they belong to different categories.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- STEAL
- PASTA SHAPES
- FICTIONAL TOMS
- THINGS THAT CAN BE SNAPPED
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Difficulty: Medium. The body-part overlap and a loose final group slow things down, but the food and character groups give solid starting points.
Connections #1232 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for October 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
BOOST is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is STEAL.
Show all four words
BOOST, PALM, POCKET, SWIPE
Show one word
BOW TIE is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is PASTA SHAPES.
Show all four words
BOW TIE, ELBOW, SHELL, WAGON WHEEL
Show one word
RIPLEY is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is FICTIONAL TOMS.
Show all four words
RIPLEY, SAWYER, SWIFT, THUMB
Show one word
FINGERS is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS THAT CAN BE SNAPPED.
Show all four words
FINGERS, FOOTBALL, GLOW STICK, RUBBER BAND
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- BOOST: Slang for taking something that is not yours.
- PALM: To secretly pick up and hide something in your hand.
- POCKET: To take something and put it in your own pocket.
- SWIPE: To grab something quickly and take it without asking.
- BOW TIE: Also called farfalle, pinched in the middle like a ribbon.
- ELBOW: Small curved macaroni, the classic for mac and cheese.
- SHELL: Curled noodle that holds sauce, like a seashell.
- WAGON WHEEL: Round noodle with spokes, also called rotelle.
- RIPLEY: Tom Ripley is the con man in Patricia Highsmith's novels.
- SAWYER: Tom Sawyer is Mark Twain's mischievous boy from Missouri.
- SWIFT: Tom Swift is the young inventor hero of an old book series.
- THUMB: Tom Thumb is a tiny hero from English folklore.
Purple group explained
- FINGERS: You snap them together to make a sharp clicking sound.
- FOOTBALL: The center snaps it back to the quarterback to start a play.
- GLOW STICK: You snap it to break the inner tube and make it glow.
- RUBBER BAND: It can be snapped against skin or break suddenly when stretched.
What does RIPLEY mean?
Tom Ripley is the charming, amoral con man in Patricia Highsmith's crime novels, starting with The Talented Mr. Ripley. He slips into other people's identities and gets away with murder. Here he is one of the fictional Toms.
What does SAWYER mean?
Tom Sawyer is the mischievous boy hero of Mark Twain's 1876 novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, set along the Mississippi River. Famous for tricking friends into whitewashing a fence for him. Here he is one of the fictional Toms.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 24 | #1231 | ___ BAR |
| Oct 23 | #1230 | ___ TAP |
| Oct 22 | #1229 | STARTS OF BEDDING |
| Oct 21 | #1228 | DOUBLE MISNOMERS (NEITHER WORD IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION) |
| Oct 20 | #1227 | HOMOPHONES OF DISNEY CHARACTERS |
| Oct 19 | #1226 | ENDING IN BIRDS |
| Oct 18 | #1225 | STARTING WITH THINGS THAT CLOUD THE AIR |
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 25
Connections #1232 questions
What were the Connections answers on October 25, 2026?
STEAL: BOOST, PALM, POCKET, SWIPE. PASTA SHAPES: BOW TIE, ELBOW, SHELL, WAGON WHEEL. FICTIONAL TOMS: RIPLEY, SAWYER, SWIFT, THUMB. THINGS THAT CAN BE SNAPPED: FINGERS, FOOTBALL, GLOW STICK, RUBBER BAND.
What was the purple group in Connections #1232?
THINGS THAT CAN BE SNAPPED: FINGERS, FOOTBALL, GLOW STICK, RUBBER BAND.
What made Connections #1232 tricky?
Several words name parts of the body, which tempts you to group them together even though they belong to different categories.