NYT Connections · September 14, 2026 · #1191
STOOLIE in Connections: Why CANARY Fits
STOOLIE means an informant, also called a stool pigeon. In NYT Connections #1191, it joins CANARY, RAT and SNITCH in the INFORMANT group. CANARY fits through the expression “sing like a canary”: to reveal secret information.
BLUE, CANARY, TEAL and LEMON really can suggest colors. The trap is not bad English; it is that this puzzle assigns those words to different relationships.
| Word | Meaning in this group |
|---|---|
| STOOLIE | Informal American English for a stool pigeon or informant. |
| CANARY | Someone who “sings,” meaning they reveal information. |
| RAT | Someone who betrays others by informing on them. |
| SNITCH | Someone who tells on another person. |
Why now
Connections #1191 uses CANARY as an informant while sending TEAL, BLUE and LEMON to different groups.
The connection
Why here
Why does CANARY mean an informant?
A canary is a singing bird. In the expression “sing like a canary,” singing means disclosing secrets, often to the authorities. That figurative sense connects CANARY to the other three informant words.
The route is CANARY → singing → revealing information → informant. It is the missing link between the bird you picture and the person the category describes.
More context
Context
Why BLUE, CANARY, TEAL and LEMON are not the answer
Your color connection is understandable: blue and teal are color names, while canary and lemon can describe yellows. But a plausible shared meaning is not the same thing as the intended four-word group on this board.
| Tempting color word | Its intended use | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| CANARY | An informant who “sings” | CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE — INFORMANT |
| TEAL | A waterbird | COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL — WATERBIRDS |
| BLUE | BLUE + GRASS = bluegrass | BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT — words before GRASS |
| LEMON | LEMON + GRASS = lemongrass | The same GRASS group as BLUE |
CRAB and WHEAT complete the last pattern as crabgrass and wheatgrass. The table explains the misleading words; it is not a full solution to all four groups.
Why not put CANARY with the birds?
CANARY is a bird, but the intended category is specifically WATERBIRDS: COOT, GOOSE, LOON and TEAL. A general bird connection does not replace that narrower group. TEAL keeps its bird meaning here; CANARY takes the figurative informant meaning.
Remember the split: STOOLIE points to informants, CANARY “sings,” TEAL is a waterbird, and BLUE and LEMON go before GRASS.
Keep exploring
More Connections word traps
Evidence
Sources
- NYT Connections — September 14, 2026 — The New York Times
Puzzle groups and intended word assignments.
- Stoolie Definition & Meaning — Merriam-Webster
The informant and stool-pigeon meaning.
- Sing like a canary — Cambridge Dictionary
The figurative connection between singing and revealing information.