Connections #1253 hints
The colour hints point at one group each without naming its words. The last two steps are stronger and say so. Solve the colour you are surest of first.
Hints revealed: 0
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Yellow group hintGentle hint
Think of words for something that has never been topped by anything before it.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Engaged couples might set up these online for guests before the big day.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
All four words work in front of a word for a flat surface or an aircraft.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Focus on how each word ends, since a common kitchen staple is hiding at the tail end.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint: names board words
Archive, record and historic all feel like they belong in a past-themed set, and jet and travel both suggest trips, so it is easy to group them the wrong way.
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The four group namesStrong hint: reveals all four categories
- UNMATCHED
- WEDDING WEBSITE SECTIONS
- ___ PLANE
- ENDING IN VEGETABLES IN THE ALLIUM FAMILY
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Difficulty: Medium. The reason is in the answers section, since it can name the groups.
Play Connections #1253
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 UNPRECEDENTED and the shortest is JET.
Connections #1253 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for November 15, 2026, with why each word fits.
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
ALL-TIME is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is UNMATCHED.
Show all four words
ALL-TIME, HISTORIC, RECORD, UNPRECEDENTED
Show one word
DRESS CODE is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WEDDING WEBSITE SECTIONS.
Show all four words
DRESS CODE, REGISTRY, RSVP, TRAVEL
Show one word
ASTRAL is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ___ PLANE.
Show all four words
ASTRAL, CARTESIAN, INCLINED, JET
Show one word
ARCHIVE is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ENDING IN VEGETABLES IN THE ALLIUM FAMILY.
Show all four words
ARCHIVE, OCTONION, RAPSCALLION, SLEEK
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- ALL-TIME: Describes the best ever, like an all-time high.
- HISTORIC: Marks something so big it goes in the history books.
- RECORD: A record-setting mark has never been beaten.
- UNPRECEDENTED: Literally means nothing like it has happened before.
- DRESS CODE: Tells guests what to wear to the event.
- REGISTRY: Lists gifts the couple would like to receive.
- RSVP: Where guests reply to say if they are coming.
- TRAVEL: Gives info on getting to the venue and where to stay.
- ASTRAL: Astral plane is a spiritual level of existence.
- CARTESIAN: Cartesian plane is the x and y coordinate grid.
- INCLINED: An inclined plane is a simple machine, like a ramp.
- JET: A jet plane is a fast aircraft.
Purple group explained
- ARCHIVE: Ends in CHIVE.
- OCTONION: Ends in ONION, and it is also a math term.
- RAPSCALLION: Ends in SCALLION.
- SLEEK: Ends in LEEK.
Why it rated medium: Three of the groups are easy to spot once you see them, but the one built on hidden word tails takes a careful look at the letters.
Puzzle note
The puzzle turned once you spotted that ARCHIVE, OCTONION, RAPSCALLION and SLEEK end in chive, onion, scallion and leek. That pulled ARCHIVE out of the pile of past words and left ALL-TIME, HISTORIC, RECORD and UNPRECEDENTED as the unmatched group. Check the last letters of odd words.
What does OCTONION mean?
A number in advanced math that has eight parts, extending the idea of complex numbers and quaternions. Most people have never met it. In the puzzle it ends in ONION, so it hides a vegetable from the allium family.
What does ASTRAL mean?
Relating to the stars, or in spiritual belief, a nonphysical level of existence. An astral plane is a supposed spiritual realm beyond the physical world, which is how it fits the ___ PLANE group.
What does RAPSCALLION mean?
An old-fashioned, playful word for a mischievous rascal or scamp. In the puzzle, it ends in SCALLION, which is a green onion.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 14 | #1252 | BABY GEAR WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED |
| Nov 13 | #1251 | BRAIN ___ |
| Nov 12 | #1250 | STARTING WITH BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS |
| 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 |
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 Nov 15
Connections #1253 questions
How hard was Connections #1253?
We rated it medium.
What were the Connections answers on November 15, 2026?
UNMATCHED: ALL-TIME, HISTORIC, RECORD, UNPRECEDENTED. WEDDING WEBSITE SECTIONS: DRESS CODE, REGISTRY, RSVP, TRAVEL. ___ PLANE: ASTRAL, CARTESIAN, INCLINED, JET. ENDING IN VEGETABLES IN THE ALLIUM FAMILY: ARCHIVE, OCTONION, RAPSCALLION, SLEEK.
What was the purple group in Connections #1253?
ENDING IN VEGETABLES IN THE ALLIUM FAMILY: ARCHIVE, OCTONION, RAPSCALLION, SLEEK.
What made Connections #1253 tricky?
Archive, record and historic all feel like they belong in a past-themed set, and jet and travel both suggest trips, so it is easy to group them the wrong way.
What was the easiest group in Connections #1253?
Usually yellow, which was UNMATCHED: ALL-TIME, HISTORIC, RECORD, UNPRECEDENTED.