Connections #1236 hints
One nudge per colour, from yellow (usually plain) to purple (usually wordplay). Stop when the board opens up.
Hints used: 0
-
Yellow group hintGentle hint
Drop in some change and something happens, or you hope it does.
Was this hint -
Green group hintGentle hint
Black-and-white birds with a goofy walk make their home on the ice.
Was this hint -
Blue group hintHelpful hint
Scroll through the font menu in your word processor and focus on the back half of each name.
Was this hint -
Purple group hintHelpful hint
Every answer here is built from three shades.
Was this hint -
Where's the trap?Strong hint
Two of the words sound like ancient Rome, which can tempt you to look for a history group that is not there.
Was this hint -
The four group namesStrong hint
- THINGS YOU PUT COINS INTO
- ASSOCIATED WITH PENGUINS
- ENDS OF FAMOUS FONTS
- THINGS THAT FEATURE THREE COLORS
Was this hint
Difficulty: Medium. Most groups are easy to spot, but one needs you to fill in the missing first half of a familiar name, and a black-and-white clue can send you toward the wrong color group.
Play Connections #1236
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. The longest word on this board is PARKING METER and the shortest is SANS.
Connections #1236 answers
The groups for October 29, 2026 are below, each with a reason for every word.
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
PARKING METER is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS YOU PUT COINS INTO.
Show all four words
PARKING METER, PAYPHONE, PIGGY BANK, WISHING WELL
Show one word
ANTARCTICA is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ASSOCIATED WITH PENGUINS.
Show all four words
ANTARCTICA, EMPEROR, TUXEDO, WADDLE
Show one word
GOTHIC is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ENDS OF FAMOUS FONTS.
Show all four words
GOTHIC, ROMAN, SANS, TYPEWRITER
Show one word
CALICO is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS THAT FEATURE THREE COLORS.
Show all four words
CALICO, CANDY CORN, NEAPOLITAN, TRAFFIC LIGHT
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- PARKING METER: You feed it change to buy time at the curb.
- PAYPHONE: Old street phones took change for calls.
- PIGGY BANK: Kids drop spare change in the slot to save.
- WISHING WELL: People toss in change and make a wish.
- ANTARCTICA: The icy continent where many penguins live.
- EMPEROR: The biggest penguin species.
- TUXEDO: Penguins look like they wear black-and-white formal wear.
- WADDLE: The side-to-side way penguins walk.
- GOTHIC: Century Gothic is a well-known typeface.
- ROMAN: Times New Roman is a classic typeface.
- SANS: Comic Sans is a famously mocked typeface.
- TYPEWRITER: American Typewriter is a typeface with that name.
Purple group explained
- CALICO: A calico cat has orange, black, and white patches.
- CANDY CORN: Each kernel is yellow, orange, and white.
- NEAPOLITAN: Ice cream with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry stripes.
- TRAFFIC LIGHT: Red, yellow, and green signals.
Puzzle note
Two words nodded at ancient Rome, which tempted a history hunt, but Emperor went with the penguins and Roman with the fonts. There was no Rome group. Before locking in a theme, ask yourself: does each of these words have another home?
What does CALICO mean?
A cat coat pattern with patches of white, black, and orange. Also the name for a cotton cloth with a bright printed pattern. Here it counts as a three-color thing.
What does NEAPOLITAN mean?
An ice cream style with three stripes of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, named after the Italian city of Naples. It fits the three-color group.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 28 | #1235 | HOMOPHONES OF PATHS |
| Oct 27 | #1234 | BELL ___ |
| Oct 26 | #1233 | HORROR MOVIES WITH LAST LETTER CHANGED |
| Oct 25 | #1232 | THINGS THAT CAN BE SNAPPED |
| Oct 24 | #1231 | ___ BAR |
| Oct 23 | #1230 | ___ TAP |
| Oct 22 | #1229 | STARTS OF BEDDING |
About Connections
Each day NYT Connections hands you 16 words and asks for four groups. Colours run from yellow to purple as the groups get harder. Studying past boards like this one is a quick way to get used to fill-in-the-blank and hidden-word groups.
Other puzzles on Oct 29
Connections #1236 questions
What were the Connections answers on October 29, 2026?
THINGS YOU PUT COINS INTO: PARKING METER, PAYPHONE, PIGGY BANK, WISHING WELL. ASSOCIATED WITH PENGUINS: ANTARCTICA, EMPEROR, TUXEDO, WADDLE. ENDS OF FAMOUS FONTS: GOTHIC, ROMAN, SANS, TYPEWRITER. THINGS THAT FEATURE THREE COLORS: CALICO, CANDY CORN, NEAPOLITAN, TRAFFIC LIGHT.
What was the purple group in Connections #1236?
THINGS THAT FEATURE THREE COLORS: CALICO, CANDY CORN, NEAPOLITAN, TRAFFIC LIGHT.
What made Connections #1236 tricky?
Two of the words sound like ancient Rome, which can tempt you to look for a history group that is not there.
What was the easiest group in Connections #1236?
Usually yellow, which was THINGS YOU PUT COINS INTO: PARKING METER, PAYPHONE, PIGGY BANK, WISHING WELL.