Connections #1242 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
What do a dessert portion and a famous New York landmark have in common when both taper down to a thin edge?
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Green group hintGentle hint
What might the tag inside your sweater be warning you not to do to it?
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
What are some lazy ways to pass the time without getting much done?
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Each answer follows a word for a blaze.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
A pressing tool for clothes is hidden inside a building name, which makes it tempting to put that building with laundry words instead of shapes.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- TRIANGULAR PRISMS WITH A SHARP EDGE
- WORDS AFTER "DO NOT" ON A CARE LABEL
- MOVE IDLY, WITH "AROUND"
- FIRE___
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Difficulty: Medium. One shape entry is a long landmark name that is easy to misplace, but the other groups are fairly clear once you spot them.
Play Connections #1242
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 FLATIRON BUILDING and the shortest is FLY.
Connections #1242 answers
Careful: everything from here on shows the answers for November 4, 2026.
Reveal one group at a time
Three levels per colour: a single word, the group name, then all four. Open only what you need.
Show one word
DOORSTOP is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is TRIANGULAR PRISMS WITH A SHARP EDGE.
Show all four words
DOORSTOP, FLATIRON BUILDING, PIE SLICE, WEDGE
Show one word
BLEACH is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WORDS AFTER "DO NOT" ON A CARE LABEL.
Show all four words
BLEACH, IRON, TUMBLE DRY, WRING
Show one word
LOLL is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is MOVE IDLY, WITH "AROUND".
Show all four words
LOLL, POKE, PUTTER, SHUFFLE
Show one word
CRACKER is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is FIRE___.
Show all four words
CRACKER, FLY, WOOD, WORKS
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- DOORSTOP: Small tapered chunk shoved under a door to hold it
- FLATIRON BUILDING: Famous New York skyscraper with a narrow triangular shape
- PIE SLICE: Dessert portion that tapers to a point
- WEDGE: Classic thin-ended triangular shape used for splitting or holding
- BLEACH: Tags often warn not to use this on colors
- IRON: Some fabrics are too delicate for a hot press
- TUMBLE DRY: Many sweaters must be laid flat instead
- WRING: Twisting wet fabric can stretch or ruin it
- LOLL: To lounge about lazily
- POKE: To move slowly and without purpose
- PUTTER: To busy yourself aimlessly with small tasks
- SHUFFLE: To move along with slow, dragging steps
Purple group explained
- CRACKER: Firecracker is a small noisy explosive
- FLY: Firefly is a glowing summer insect
- WOOD: Firewood is chopped logs for burning
- WORKS: Fireworks light up the sky on holidays
Puzzle note
When a word hides inside a longer answer, check whether the longer answer fits a shape or theme first. Here FLATIRON BUILDING hid IRON, which tempted me toward the care label group, yet it really belonged with DOORSTOP, PIE SLICE and WEDGE. The real IRON was already waiting.
What does FLATIRON BUILDING mean?
A famous wedge-shaped skyscraper in New York City, finished in 1902 at the meeting of Fifth Avenue and Broadway. Its narrow, pointed end gives it the look of a clothes iron. It fits the sharp-edged triangular prism group.
What does PUTTER mean?
To move or work in a slow, relaxed, aimless way, doing small unimportant jobs. British spelling often uses 'potter'. Here it fits the group of ways to move idly around.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 3 | #1241 | ENDING IN MENU BAR HEADINGS |
| Nov 2 | #1240 | THINGS WITH MIRRORS |
| Nov 1 | #1239 | SYNONYMS FOR "SOAKED" WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED |
| Oct 31 | #1238 | STARTING WITH DOG COMMANDS |
| Oct 30 | #1237 | FRUIT WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED |
| Oct 29 | #1236 | THINGS THAT FEATURE THREE COLORS |
| Oct 28 | #1235 | HOMOPHONES OF PATHS |
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 Nov 4
Connections #1242 questions
What were the Connections answers on November 4, 2026?
TRIANGULAR PRISMS WITH A SHARP EDGE: DOORSTOP, FLATIRON BUILDING, PIE SLICE, WEDGE. WORDS AFTER "DO NOT" ON A CARE LABEL: BLEACH, IRON, TUMBLE DRY, WRING. MOVE IDLY, WITH "AROUND": LOLL, POKE, PUTTER, SHUFFLE. FIRE___: CRACKER, FLY, WOOD, WORKS.
What was the purple group in Connections #1242?
FIRE___: CRACKER, FLY, WOOD, WORKS.
What made Connections #1242 tricky?
A pressing tool for clothes is hidden inside a building name, which makes it tempting to put that building with laundry words instead of shapes.
What was the easiest group in Connections #1242?
Usually yellow, which was TRIANGULAR PRISMS WITH A SHARP EDGE: DOORSTOP, FLATIRON BUILDING, PIE SLICE, WEDGE.