Spunk
Spunk can mean courage, spirit or liveliness. In NYT Connections #1173, the word also functions as wordplay: S + PUNK.
Why now
SPUNK appeared in NYT Connections #1173 on August 27, 2026, with BROCK, NEMO and WRAP. The group used each full string as a starting letter plus a music genre.
The connection
Why here
The category was “Music genre plus starting letter”:
- BROCK = B + ROCK
- NEMO = N + EMO
- SPUNK = S + PUNK
- WRAP = W + RAP
For SPUNK, the hidden genre is PUNK, preceded by the letter S.
Keep exploring
Related Things
Evidence
Sources
- Spunk definition — Merriam-Webster
Supports the Quick Answer.
- NYT Connections — Forbes
Supports the Event, Why Now and Why Here.