The NYT Connections puzzle for April 23, 2026 (#1047), as highlighted by Gael Cooper, strikes a satisfying balance between logic and nostalgia. While the earlier groups ease players in with familiar patterns, the final category adds a playful twist — especially for those who still have a soft spot for 1980s pop culture.
Connections continues to expand its reach within The New York Times puzzle lineup, sitting alongside Wordle, the Mini Crossword, Strands and even the Sports Edition. Players can also head to the Connections page to use the Connections Bot, which offers a numeric score and detailed performance analysis. Registered users can track win rate, streaks, completed puzzles and perfect games, turning the experience into a daily competitive ritual.
Today’s puzzle may look simple at first glance, but one group leans on memory tricks, while another hides a clever wordplay pattern — making it a well-rounded challenge.
Today’s NYT Connections Words
FLANK, NEIGHBOR, SKIRT, TOUCH, HISTORICAL, LITERARY, PULP, SCIENCE, MY, VERY, EDUCATED, MOTHER, ASIAGO, DEVOTE, TOTORO, WHAMMY
Hints for Today’s Connections Groups
🟨 Yellow group hint: Think about edges and contact points. These words describe how two things meet, sit next to each other, or form a boundary. This could apply to geography, relationships, or even how objects physically connect.
🟩 Green group hint: Step into a library or bookstore. These words categorize storytelling styles — not specific stories, but types of fiction you might browse depending on your taste.
🟦 Blue group hint: This group taps into something you may have memorized in school. Think of a well-known sentence used to remember the order of the planets. Each of these words appears in that mnemonic.
🟪 Purple group hint: A fun and nostalgic category. Each word begins with the name of a famous four-letter band from the 1980s. Spot the band hiding at the start of each word, and the pattern becomes obvious.
Starter Answers (One Per Group)
🟨 Yellow: FLANK
🟩 Green: LITERARY
🟦 Blue: VERY
🟪 Purple: DEVOTE
A practical way to approach today’s puzzle is to begin with the clearest category (fiction types), then group the boundary-related words. The mnemonic-based blue group becomes easier once you recall the planetary phrase, while the purple group reveals itself once you notice the hidden band names.
🧠 Practice Mode — Test Yourself
Enter one word from each category to check your understanding:
Quick Tips for Solving Connections
#1: Not every group is meaning-based — memory tricks and word structure often play a role.
#2: Solve the most obvious category first to reduce confusion.
#3: The purple group is usually the trickiest — look for hidden patterns, prefixes or wordplay.
More News
From clever word associations to nostalgic twists, NYT Connections continues to evolve into one of the most engaging daily puzzles. With tools like the Connections Bot and performance tracking, it’s no longer just a game — it’s a daily habit for players aiming to sharpen their pattern recognition skills.
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