word
Brock
Brock is a British word for a badger, but that is not the trick in NYT Connections #1173. In this puzzle, BROCK is wordplay: B + ROCK.
Why now
BROCK appeared in NYT Connections #1173 on August 27, 2026, with NEMO, SPUNK and WRAP. The group used wordplay rather than the ordinary dictionary sense of each full string.
The connection
Why here
The category was “Music genre plus starting letter”:
- BROCK = B + ROCK
- NEMO = N + EMO
- SPUNK = S + PUNK
- WRAP = W + RAP
The intended Connections logic is B + ROCK, not the dictionary meaning “badger.”
More context
Context
Does “brock” have a dictionary meaning?
Yes. In British English, brock can mean a badger. That is a real meaning, but it is not the mechanism used by this Connections group.
Keep exploring
Related Things
Evidence
Sources
- Brock definition — Merriam-Webster
Supports the Quick Answer and dictionary context.
- NYT Connections — Forbes
Supports the Event, Why Now and Why Here.