Connections #1250 hints
One nudge per colour, from yellow (usually plain) to purple (usually wordplay). Stop when the board opens up.
Hints revealed: 0
-
Yellow group hintGentle hint
These are old-fashioned cries of surprise, the kind a cartoon character might yell.
Was this hint -
Green group hintGentle hint
The first words here do all the wobbling, since each can mean a fluctuation or a movement away from the norm.
Was this hint -
Blue group hintHelpful hint
Look at the last word of each, which is something you can do to food with heat.
Was this hint -
Purple group hintHelpful hint
The opening word of each entry is also the name of a film that took home the Academy's top prize.
Was this hint -
Where's the trap?Strong hint: may name board words
Several entries are famous movie references from the same time-travel film, which tempts you to group them even though they belong to different categories.
Was this hint -
The four group namesStrong hint: reveals all four categories
- "GADZOOKS!"
- STARTING WITH VARIATIONS
- ENDING IN WAYS TO COOK THINGS
- STARTING WITH BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS
Was this hint
Difficulty: Hard. The reason is in the answers section, since it can name the groups.
Play Connections #1250
Same 16 words, same order as the real game. Pick four, press Submit, and you get the "one away" message just like NYT. Your real streak is never touched. The longest word on this board is GLADIATOR SANDALS and the shortest is SWING SET.
Connections #1250 answers
Careful: everything from here on shows the answers for November 12, 2026.
Reveal one group at a time
Need just a foothold? Every colour reveals one word first, then its name, then the full group.
Show one word
GOOD HEAVENS is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is "GADZOOKS!".
Show all four words
GOOD HEAVENS, GREAT SCOTT, HOLY SMOKES, JIMINY CRICKET
Show one word
CHANGE PURSE is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is STARTING WITH VARIATIONS.
Show all four words
CHANGE PURSE, FLUX CAPACITOR, SHIFT DRESS, SWING SET
Show one word
ARCTIC CHAR is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ENDING IN WAYS TO COOK THINGS.
Show all four words
ARCTIC CHAR, COMEDY ROAST, DOC BROWN, YOU'RE TOAST
Show one word
GLADIATOR SANDALS is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is STARTING WITH BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS.
Show all four words
GLADIATOR SANDALS, MARTY MCFLY, MOONLIGHT SONATA, ROCKY ROAD
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- GOOD HEAVENS: A mild exclamation of surprise.
- GREAT SCOTT: A classic old-fashioned shout of astonishment.
- HOLY SMOKES: A cartoonish cry of amazement.
- JIMINY CRICKET: A folksy exclamation of surprise.
- CHANGE PURSE: Starts with CHANGE, a word for variation.
- FLUX CAPACITOR: Starts with FLUX, meaning constant variation.
- SHIFT DRESS: Starts with SHIFT, a move from one state to another.
- SWING SET: Starts with SWING, a variation or fluctuation.
- ARCTIC CHAR: Ends in CHAR, to scorch food over heat.
- COMEDY ROAST: Ends in ROAST, to cook in an oven.
- DOC BROWN: Ends in BROWN, to sear food in a pan.
- YOU'RE TOAST: Ends in TOAST, to crisp bread with heat.
Purple group explained
- GLADIATOR SANDALS: Starts with Gladiator, a Best Picture winner.
- MARTY MCFLY: Starts with Marty, a Best Picture winner.
- MOONLIGHT SONATA: Starts with Moonlight, a Best Picture winner.
- ROCKY ROAD: Starts with Rocky, a Best Picture winner.
Why it rated hard: The real connections hide in the first or last word of two-word phrases, and a strong movie theme pulls you toward the wrong groupings.
Puzzle note
When a theme jumps out at you, test each word against the category rules first. Great Scott, Flux Capacitor, Doc Brown and Marty McFly all come from the same time travel film, but they were split across four different groups. Don't trust the theme.
What does FLUX CAPACITOR mean?
A fictional device from the Back to the Future films that makes time travel possible. It is a fake invention, so people who haven't seen the movies may not know it. It fits the 'starting with variations' group through FLUX, meaning change.
What does GREAT SCOTT mean?
A mild, old-fashioned exclamation of surprise, famously shouted by Doc Brown in Back to the Future. The puzzle hides it in the 'Gadzooks' group of old-timey exclamations.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 11 | #1249 | ENDING IN PALINDROMES |
| Nov 10 | #1248 | WORDS WITH FIVE OF ONE VOWEL |
| Nov 9 | #1247 | ENDING IN SEA CREATURES |
| Nov 8 | #1246 | VEGETABLE HOMOPHONES |
| Nov 7 | #1245 | ENDS OF STORM TYPES |
| Nov 6 | #1244 | ENDING IN PARTS OF THE EYE |
| Nov 5 | #1243 | LIQUORS WITH LAST LETTERS CHANGED |
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 12
Connections #1250 questions
How hard was Connections #1250?
We rated it hard.
What were the Connections answers on November 12, 2026?
"GADZOOKS!": GOOD HEAVENS, GREAT SCOTT, HOLY SMOKES, JIMINY CRICKET. STARTING WITH VARIATIONS: CHANGE PURSE, FLUX CAPACITOR, SHIFT DRESS, SWING SET. ENDING IN WAYS TO COOK THINGS: ARCTIC CHAR, COMEDY ROAST, DOC BROWN, YOU'RE TOAST. STARTING WITH BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS: GLADIATOR SANDALS, MARTY MCFLY, MOONLIGHT SONATA, ROCKY ROAD.
What was the purple group in Connections #1250?
STARTING WITH BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS: GLADIATOR SANDALS, MARTY MCFLY, MOONLIGHT SONATA, ROCKY ROAD.
What made Connections #1250 tricky?
Several entries are famous movie references from the same time-travel film, which tempts you to group them even though they belong to different categories.
What was the easiest group in Connections #1250?
Usually yellow, which was "GADZOOKS!": GOOD HEAVENS, GREAT SCOTT, HOLY SMOKES, JIMINY CRICKET.