Today’s NYT Connections puzzle #1206 for September 29, 2026 mixes geography, Pixar movies and clever hidden-wordplay. If you’re stuck, start with the spoiler-free hints below before revealing each group.
NYT Connections hints for September 29
- Yellow: Think about places or things that are kept away from crowds, attention or public view.
- Green: Think about different parts or features associated with a river and the land around it.
- Blue: Think of famous animated movies from Pixar. The words here come at the beginning of familiar movie titles.
- Purple: Look inside each two-word phrase rather than focusing on its meaning. A Greek letter is hidden across the words.
Main trap: Several words can suggest broad ideas such as places, geography or entertainment, but the Purple group requires a completely different approach. Instead of grouping the phrases by meaning, examine their letters closely.
Blue clue: FINDING and TOY are useful anchors. Think of Finding Nemo and Toy Story, then look for two more words that begin well-known Pixar movie titles.
Purple clue: FREEZE TAG, HOME GAME, MODEL TANK and ORAL PHASE may seem unrelated. Read across the space between the two words in each phrase and look for the name of a Greek letter hidden inside.
Today’s NYT Connections answers
Reveal the Yellow Group
Category: Secluded
Answers: HIDDEN, REMOTE, SECRET, TUCKED AWAY
All four describe something that is isolated, concealed or positioned away from public view. HIDDEN and SECRET emphasize concealment, while REMOTE and TUCKED AWAY suggest being removed from busy or easily accessible places.
Reveal the Green Group
Category: River features
Answers: DELTA, DRAINAGE BASIN, MOUTH, STREAM BED
All four are geographical features associated with rivers. A MOUTH is where a river empties into another body of water, while a DELTA can form near that point through deposited sediment. A DRAINAGE BASIN collects water feeding a river system, and a STREAM BED is the channel along which water flows.
Reveal the Blue Group
Category: First words of Pixar films
Answers: FINDING, INSIDE, MONSTERS, TOY
Each word begins the title of a well-known Pixar movie: Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story.
FINDING and TOY are especially useful starting clues because their movie connections are relatively recognizable. Once Pixar becomes the theme, INSIDE and MONSTERS complete the group.
Reveal the Purple Group
Category: Phrases hiding Greek letters
Answers: FREEZE TAG, HOME GAME, MODEL TANK, ORAL PHASE
Each phrase contains the name of a Greek letter hidden across the two words: FREEZE TAG hides ZETA, HOME GAME hides OMEGA, MODEL TANK hides DELTA and ORAL PHASE hides ALPHA.
This is the puzzle’s main wordplay category because the phrases are connected by their spelling rather than by their definitions. Spotting the hidden Greek letters is the key to solving the final group.
Players can attempt the official daily puzzle and check their results on the New York Times Connections page.
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