NYT Connections · September 13, 2026 · #1190 · Spoilers
Why Are GARFIELD, ODIE and HEATHCLIFF in Different Connections Groups?
**Spoilers for September 13. Explanation prepared September 12.** **GARFIELD, ODIE and HEATHCLIFF look like a cartoon-character group, but this puzzle uses a different feature of each name.** GARFIELD is a U.S. president’s surname, ODIE sounds like **O-D**, and HEATHCLIFF ends in **CLIFF**.[1] | Tile | What to notice instead | Intended group | |---|---|---| | **GARFIELD** | President James A. Garfield | U.S. PRESIDENTS | | **ODIE** | Say the letters O and D aloud | WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS | | **HEATHCLIFF** | HEATH + **CLIFF** | ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS |
| Tile | What to notice instead | Intended group |
|---|---|---|
| GARFIELD | President James A. Garfield | U.S. PRESIDENTS |
| ODIE | Say the letters O and D aloud | WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS |
| HEATHCLIFF | HEATH + CLIFF | ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS |
Why now
Early explanation for Connections #1190, September 13. Contains spoilers for that puzzle.
The connection
Why here
Why the cartoon connection feels so strong
Garfield and Odie belong to the same comic-strip world, and Heathcliff is another recognizable comic-strip cat. That connection is real. It simply is not the intended grouping in #1190.
The trick is to change the kind of relationship you are looking for: identity for GARFIELD, sound for ODIE, and spelling for HEATHCLIFF.
GARFIELD: the president, not the cat
The group is CLEVELAND, GARFIELD, GRANT and MADISON. These are U.S. presidential surnames. Thinking specifically of James A. Garfield breaks the comic-strip association.
ODIE: say O-D aloud
ODIE sounds like the names of two letters, O-D. The rest of its group uses the same mechanism:
| Word | Letter names |
|---|---|
| EMPTY | M-T |
| EXCESS | X-S |
| KEWPIE | Q-P |
| ODIE | O-D |
This is about pronunciation, not spelling the word with only two letters. ODIE still has four written letters.
More context
Context
HEATHCLIFF: inspect the ending
The category uses a landform hidden at the end of each complete word:
| Full word | Split that reveals the landform |
|---|---|
| DOUBLESPEAK | DOUBLES + PEAK |
| HEATHCLIFF | HEATH + CLIFF |
| PARAMOUNT | PARA + MOUNT |
| PORRIDGE | POR + RIDGE |
The full words do not need to be about geography. Their endings provide the connection.
Why the three names do not form a group
They are not unrelated names; they are related names with stronger roles elsewhere in this particular solution. The three mini-tests above explain the split without turning the page into an all-answers list.
Remember: GARFIELD → a person; ODIE → a sound; HEATHCLIFF → an ending.
Keep exploring
More from Connections #1190
Related Connections explanations
Evidence
Sources
- NYT Connections — September 13, 2026 — The New York Times
Original puzzle reference for the three supplied group mechanisms.
- NYT Connections — The New York Times
Official Connections game surface; the archived handoff remains the source for the supplied early explanation.