NYT CONNECTIONS HELP
Today’s Connections Hints
Oct 2, 2026 Puzzle #1209
Words in Today’s Puzzle
16 wordsSelect a word to see its meaning and why it may be tricky.
LITTLE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Small in size, amount or degree. It can also refer to the smallest member of a set.
Why It May Be Tricky
Look beyond size alone: a familiar adjective can also be part of a specific name.
REAL ESTATE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Land and the buildings on it; also the business of buying, selling or renting property.
Why It May Be Tricky
The business meaning is obvious, but the phrase can also combine with a word placed before it.
COMMON
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Frequent, widely shared or ordinary. It can also describe something held by more than one person.
Why It May Be Tricky
Its ownership sense may distract from its everyday meaning. Decide which use fits the other words.
RING
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A circular band, an enclosed area, or a clear bell-like sound. As a verb, it can mean to sound or telephone someone.
Why It May Be Tricky
Jewelry and sound are strong first associations. The word can also appear in a familiar compound name.
INDEX
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
An organized reference list, a numerical measure, or a verb meaning to arrange entries for lookup.
Why It May Be Tricky
Books and financial markets are only two possible contexts. A compound use may matter more than a standalone definition.
FUND
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Money set aside for a purpose. As a verb, it means to supply money for an activity or project.
Why It May Be Tricky
Switching from noun to verb changes the possible connection. The tile does not tell you which grammatical role to use.
BANKROLL
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A supply of money. As a verb, it means to pay for or financially sustain an undertaking.
Why It May Be Tricky
It can describe either the money itself or what someone does with that money.
RIB
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A curved bone around the chest, a cut of meat, or a raised ridge. As a verb, it can mean to tease.
Why It May Be Tricky
Anatomy, food and joking all offer plausible readings. Do not assume the first one you notice is the relevant one.
STANDARD
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A benchmark or accepted level. As an adjective, it can mean usual, established or regularly supplied.
Why It May Be Tricky
The noun suggests a measure of quality; the adjective can be much more ordinary.
MIDDLE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The central part or position between two ends. It can be used as a noun or adjective.
Why It May Be Tricky
Position is the obvious idea, but this word can also be part of a more specific name.
STOCK
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Goods kept available, company shares, or cooking liquid. As an adjective, it can mean standard or routinely used, as in a stock response.
Why It May Be Tricky
The finance reading is tempting on this board. Its adjective meaning is easy to overlook.
SUPPORT
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Help or something that holds another thing up. As a verb, it can mean to assist, uphold or provide resources.
Why It May Be Tricky
Physical, emotional and financial support are different uses of the same word.
BACK
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The rear part of something. As a verb, it can mean to endorse or provide assistance to a person or undertaking.
Why It May Be Tricky
The body-part reading may keep you from noticing an action. Try changing its part of speech.
NUMBER
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A quantity, a numeral, or an identifying figure. It can also name a musical performance or individual item.
Why It May Be Tricky
Several meanings fit familiar phrases. Try the whole expression rather than only the isolated word.
ROUTINE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A regular sequence of actions. As an adjective, it means ordinary or done in the usual way.
Why It May Be Tricky
A scheduled activity and an ordinary quality are different readings. The adjective may be more useful.
TIME
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Duration, a particular moment or an occasion. As a verb, it means to measure or arrange when something happens.
Why It May Be Tricky
The tile is TIME, not TIMER. Consider familiar phrases using the exact word shown.
Connection Help
Choose any group and reveal only the help you want.
Today’s 16 Words
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Think about what makes it possible for a project to get off the ground.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
BACK · BANKROLL · FUND · SUPPORT
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
FINANCE
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Read these as verbs for providing money or financial backing. BACK and SUPPORT are broad words, but both can describe helping to pay for an undertaking.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Think about a set you can use to count without any tools.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
INDEX · LITTLE · MIDDLE · RING
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
FINGERS
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Each word names a finger when paired with “finger.” LITTLE is the pinky; INDEX, MIDDLE and RING name the other three fingers in this group.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Try describing something that would not surprise you.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
COMMON · ROUTINE · STANDARD · STOCK
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
CUSTOMARY
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
These adjectives can describe something usual, conventional or regularly encountered. STOCK has this sense in phrases such as “a stock response,” rather than its meaning of company shares.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Try putting the same missing word before several tiles.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
NUMBER · REAL ESTATE · RIB · TIME
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
PRIME ___
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Add PRIME before each entry to make prime number, prime real estate, prime rib and prime time. The repeated link is a missing first word, rather than a shared standalone meaning.
Reveal All 4 Groups
See the four complete group answers only when you're ready.
Yellow Group
FINANCEBACK · BANKROLL · FUND · SUPPORT
Why They Connect
Read these as verbs for providing money or financial backing. BACK and SUPPORT are broad words, but both can describe helping to pay for an undertaking.
Green Group
FINGERSINDEX · LITTLE · MIDDLE · RING
Why They Connect
Each word names a finger when paired with “finger.” LITTLE is the pinky; INDEX, MIDDLE and RING name the other three fingers in this group.
Blue Group
CUSTOMARYCOMMON · ROUTINE · STANDARD · STOCK
Why They Connect
These adjectives can describe something usual, conventional or regularly encountered. STOCK has this sense in phrases such as “a stock response,” rather than its meaning of company shares.
Purple Group
PRIME ___NUMBER · REAL ESTATE · RIB · TIME
Why They Connect
Add PRIME before each entry to make prime number, prime real estate, prime rib and prime time. The repeated link is a missing first word, rather than a shared standalone meaning.
△ Tricky Connections
Some combinations look like they belong together, but aren't one of today's groups.
Words in Today’s Puzzle
16 wordsSelect a word to see its meaning and why it may be tricky.
NATIONAL
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Relating to a nation or its people. With “The,” it is also the name of an indie rock band.
Why It May Be Tricky
A common adjective can conceal a proper-name use. The article is not printed on the tile.
KEN
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A person's range of knowledge or understanding, as in “beyond my ken.” Ken is also a given name.
Why It May Be Tricky
Both readings are valid, but a short entry may also be the beginning of a longer name.
NECK
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The part joining the head to the body; also a narrow connecting section or the neck of a garment.
Why It May Be Tricky
Body parts and clothing overlap here. Focus on the exact way a word is used.
SHINS
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The front portions of the lower legs. With “The,” it is also the name of an indie rock band.
Why It May Be Tricky
The anatomy meaning is a convincing distraction on a board containing other body-related words.
ACRO
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A shortened form used for acrobatics. The related combining form acro- can refer to height or an extremity.
Why It May Be Tricky
Treat the letters carefully: this short entry need not stand for a complete word in the puzzle.
STICK
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A thin piece of wood. As a verb, it can mean to attach, remain fixed, or put something somewhere informally.
Why It May Be Tricky
“Stick it there” uses a different sense from “a stick” or “it will stick.”
WAIST
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The narrow middle area of the body, or the corresponding area of clothing.
Why It May Be Tricky
Its body and garment senses overlap. The intended context may be narrower than anatomy in general.
WALKMEN
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The plural of Walkman, a portable personal audio player. With “The,” it is also the name of an indie rock band.
Why It May Be Tricky
A familiar product name can distract from a separate proper-name use.
SITUATE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
To place something somewhere, or describe it in a particular setting or context.
Why It May Be Tricky
Its formal tone can obscure a much simpler everyday equivalent.
SLEEVE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The part of a garment that covers an arm; also a protective covering for an object.
Why It May Be Tricky
Clothing is one use, but records and packaging can also have sleeves. Avoid following an association too far.
CROSS
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
To go from one side to another, an intersecting shape, or annoyed.
Why It May Be Tricky
The familiar definitions may distract from the letters at the beginning of a longer word.
PLACE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A location. As a verb, it can mean to put or arrange something in a position.
Why It May Be Tricky
Try the verb as well as the noun; the printed tile gives no grammatical cue.
SUD
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A rare Scots or dialectal form of “should.” In this puzzle, it may also be read simply as a fragment of letters.
Why It May Be Tricky
The unusual spelling invites a dictionary lookup, but finding a standalone definition may not explain its puzzle role.
POSITION
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A location, an arrangement, a job or a viewpoint. As a verb, it means to put something in a particular place.
Why It May Be Tricky
A job title or opinion is not the only possibility. Its action meaning is easy to miss.
CHEST
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The front of the upper body, or a box used for storage.
Why It May Be Tricky
A storage-box reading is plausible, while body and clothing contexts can overlap.
DECEMBERISTS
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
With “The,” the name of an indie rock band. The name also evokes the December uprising in Russian history.
Why It May Be Tricky
Do not confuse the band spelling with the usual historical term “Decembrists,” or assume the month alone supplies the link.
Connection Help
Choose any group and reveal only the help you want.
Today’s 16 Words
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Imagine deciding where an object should go.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
PLACE · POSITION · SITUATE · STICK
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
PUT
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Each verb can mean putting something in a location. STICK has this informal use in “stick it on the shelf”; it does not have to mean attaching something with glue.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Think about information you would need to get the right fit.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
CHEST · NECK · SLEEVE · WAIST
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
These are measurements used to size or fit a dress shirt. SLEEVE refers to sleeve length, while CHEST, NECK and WAIST describe other dimensions of the fit.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Try reading familiar words as names, with a short word left off the front.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
DECEMBERISTS · NATIONAL · SHINS · WALKMEN
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
2000S INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH “THE”
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Add THE to get The Decemberists, The National, The Shins and The Walkmen, bands associated with the 2000s indie rock scene. The category concerns that era, not a claim that all four bands formed during those years.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Some entries may make more sense if you finish their names.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
ACRO · CROSS · KEN · SUD
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
STARTS OF NYT PRINT PUZZLES
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Extend the fragments to ACROSTIC, CROSSWORD, KENKEN and SUDOKU. The shared feature is that each tile starts the name of a puzzle associated with the NYT's print puzzle offerings.
Reveal All 4 Groups
See the four complete group answers only when you're ready.
Yellow Group
PUTPLACE · POSITION · SITUATE · STICK
Why They Connect
Each verb can mean putting something in a location. STICK has this informal use in “stick it on the shelf”; it does not have to mean attaching something with glue.
Green Group
DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTSCHEST · NECK · SLEEVE · WAIST
Why They Connect
These are measurements used to size or fit a dress shirt. SLEEVE refers to sleeve length, while CHEST, NECK and WAIST describe other dimensions of the fit.
Blue Group
2000S INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH “THE”DECEMBERISTS · NATIONAL · SHINS · WALKMEN
Why They Connect
Add THE to get The Decemberists, The National, The Shins and The Walkmen, bands associated with the 2000s indie rock scene. The category concerns that era, not a claim that all four bands formed during those years.
Purple Group
STARTS OF NYT PRINT PUZZLESACRO · CROSS · KEN · SUD
Why They Connect
Extend the fragments to ACROSTIC, CROSSWORD, KENKEN and SUDOKU. The shared feature is that each tile starts the name of a puzzle associated with the NYT's print puzzle offerings.
Words in Today’s Puzzle
16 wordsSelect a word to see its meaning and why it may be tricky.
TAMBOURINE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A handheld percussion instrument with small metal jingles, sometimes with a drumhead.
Why It May Be Tricky
The type of object is one clue, but how it is used may be more useful than what it is called.
SEPTUM
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A dividing wall or partition in the body, especially the tissue separating the two nasal passages.
Why It May Be Tricky
The anatomy meaning is real, but the spelling can matter independently of that meaning.
DECENT
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Acceptable, respectable or reasonably good.
Why It May Be Tricky
Its ordinary definition may not supply the puzzle link. Check the written word as well as the idea it expresses.
BOND
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A connection or attachment; a financial debt instrument; also the surname of fictional spy James Bond.
Why It May Be Tricky
Its financial and spy associations are both strong on this board. A plausible theme still needs four exact members.
MARTINI
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A cocktail traditionally made with gin and vermouth; vodka versions are also common.
Why It May Be Tricky
A cultural association may pull you toward a character or film, rather than a property of the drink itself.
OPTION
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A possible choice. In finance, an option is a contract giving its holder a right to buy or sell under specified terms.
Why It May Be Tricky
The ordinary choice meaning and the financial contract meaning lead in different directions.
NOVELTY
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Newness, something unusual, or an item valued for its amusing or unfamiliar character.
Why It May Be Tricky
The meaning points toward unusual objects, but a spelling pattern may matter instead.
CASINO
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A place for gambling; also the title of a crime film.
Why It May Be Tricky
A place and a film title are different kinds of entry. Be careful not to substitute a longer title that is not printed.
SPRAY PAINT
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Paint applied as a fine mist, commonly from a pressurized aerosol can.
Why It May Be Tricky
Think about how the product is prepared and used, rather than only its color or container.
OCTOPUSSY
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
The title of a James Bond film and the name of a character in that story.
Why It May Be Tricky
It has an obvious spy-film association, but titles can also carry letter patterns unrelated to their plots.
DONNIE BRASCO
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A crime-film title and the undercover identity at the center of its story.
Why It May Be Tricky
A person's name on the board may need to be read as the title of a work.
FUTURE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Time that has not yet arrived. In a trading context, a future is a contract for a transaction at an agreed later date.
Why It May Be Tricky
The everyday time meaning is not its only use. The tile uses the singular form, even though “futures” is common in finance.
BUGSY
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A nickname associated with gangster Benjamin Siegel; also the title of a film about him.
Why It May Be Tricky
It looks like a personal nickname, but that same name can identify a work.
ETCH A SKETCH
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A drawing toy whose two knobs move a stylus across its screen.
Why It May Be Tricky
Recognizing the toy is only part of the job. Think about what you do with it beyond drawing.
STOCK
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
Company shares, goods kept available, or a liquid used in cooking. It can also mean standard as an adjective.
Why It May Be Tricky
Several meanings are valid, so a broad association such as “things with value” is not precise enough.
SCARFACE
A familiar word with several possible readings.
Meaning
A nickname describing a facial scar; also a title used by gangster films.
Why It May Be Tricky
A descriptive nickname can conceal a film-title reading.
Connection Help
Choose any group and reveal only the help you want.
Today’s 16 Words
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Try a marketplace reading of some everyday terms.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
BOND · FUTURE · OPTION · STOCK
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
SECURITIES
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
These entries refer to traded financial instruments in the puzzle's category. BOND and STOCK name debt and equity instruments; FUTURE and OPTION refer to contracts, rather than their everyday time and choice meanings.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Focus on an action that can be part of using very different objects.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
ETCH A SKETCH · MARTINI · SPRAY PAINT · TAMBOURINE
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN (NOT STIRRED)
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Shaking clears an Etch A Sketch, mixes spray paint, and makes a tambourine's jingles sound; a martini can also be prepared by shaking. The cocktail supplies the “not stirred” joke, not a rule that every martini must be shaken.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Read some entries as titles, then think about the stories behind them.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
BUGSY · CASINO · DONNIE BRASCO · SCARFACE
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
GANGSTER MOVIES
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
Each entry is the title of a film centered on gangsters or organized crime. The required link is the kind of film, not simply having appeared as a name or title somewhere.
Small Nudge
Get a gentle hint without revealing the group.
Read the beginnings of the words separately from the rest.
Group
Reveal the four words in this group.
DECENT · NOVELTY · OCTOPUSSY · SEPTUM
Connection
Reveal what these four words have in common.
STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONS
Why They Connect
See why these four words belong together.
DECENT starts with DEC, NOVELTY with NOV, OCTOPUSSY with OCT, and SEPTUM with SEPT, abbreviations for December, November, October and September. SEPT is a four-letter abbreviation, so this is not a uniform three-letter pattern. MARTINI also begins with MAR, a familiar abbreviation for March, but it belongs to the shaken-things group on this board; SEPTUM supplies SEPT here.
Reveal All 4 Groups
See the four complete group answers only when you're ready.
Yellow Group
SECURITIESBOND · FUTURE · OPTION · STOCK
Why They Connect
These entries refer to traded financial instruments in the puzzle's category. BOND and STOCK name debt and equity instruments; FUTURE and OPTION refer to contracts, rather than their everyday time and choice meanings.
Green Group
THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN (NOT STIRRED)ETCH A SKETCH · MARTINI · SPRAY PAINT · TAMBOURINE
Why They Connect
Shaking clears an Etch A Sketch, mixes spray paint, and makes a tambourine's jingles sound; a martini can also be prepared by shaking. The cocktail supplies the “not stirred” joke, not a rule that every martini must be shaken.
Blue Group
GANGSTER MOVIESBUGSY · CASINO · DONNIE BRASCO · SCARFACE
Why They Connect
Each entry is the title of a film centered on gangsters or organized crime. The required link is the kind of film, not simply having appeared as a name or title somewhere.
Purple Group
STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONSDECENT · NOVELTY · OCTOPUSSY · SEPTUM
Why They Connect
DECENT starts with DEC, NOVELTY with NOV, OCTOPUSSY with OCT, and SEPTUM with SEPT, abbreviations for December, November, October and September. SEPT is a four-letter abbreviation, so this is not a uniform three-letter pattern. MARTINI also begins with MAR, a familiar abbreviation for March, but it belongs to the shaken-things group on this board; SEPTUM supplies SEPT here.
Keep Solving
How Our Connections Hints Work
Today’s Connections hints are designed to help you solve the puzzle without revealing more than you want. Start with Word Help if you are unsure about a word’s meaning or how it may be used in today’s puzzle. If you need help finding a group, open a Small Nudge for a spoiler-controlled clue.
You can also reveal the four words in a group, reveal the connection they share, or read a short explanation of why the words belong together. If you are finished guessing, Reveal All 4 Groups shows the complete Connections answers with all four groups, their shared connections and explanations.
Each Connections puzzle contains 16 words that form four groups of four. The connections may depend on word meanings, common phrases, names, categories, wordplay or other relationships between the words. WeirdThings lets you choose exactly how much help you want at each point in the puzzle.