Today’s NYT Connections puzzle #1233 for Monday, October 26, 2026, challenges players with tricky word associations, dog breed groups and Halloween-inspired wordplay. Here are today’s spoiler-free hints and all four answers to help you solve the puzzle.
NYT Connections hints for October 26
- Yellow: Think about casual replies to a familiar question about someone’s well-being. Some suggest relaxation, while others describe coping or following the usual routine.
- Green: Look for objects used during exercise, religious practices and everyday household activities. Each word forms a familiar expression when followed by the same three-letter word.
- Blue: Focus on official American Kennel Club classifications. These groups distinguish dogs by characteristics, traditional roles and size.
- Purple: Think about famous horror movies whose titles have been slightly altered. Each answer changes the final letter of a recognizable film title.
Main trap: CHILLING might suggest horror, while YOGA, WRESTLING and SPORTING appear connected through physical activities. However, they belong to different categories. TOY also refers to a dog breed group rather than a plaything.
Blue clue: HERDING and HOUND are strong starting points. Both describe recognized AKC dog groups. SPORTING and TOY complete the category, despite their unrelated everyday meanings.
Purple clue: HALLOWEEK resembles HALLOWEEN, while JAWN resembles JAWS. HOSTED and PSYCHS follow the same final-letter replacement pattern, referencing two other horror classics.
Today’s NYT Connections answers
Reveal the Yellow Group
Category: Responses to “How are you?”
Answers: CHILLING, MANAGING, NOT BAD, SAME OLD
These expressions describe someone’s condition or daily experience.
CHILLING: Relaxing or taking things easy.
MANAGING: Coping with everyday circumstances.
NOT BAD: Feeling reasonably well.
SAME OLD: Experiencing the usual routine.
All four can answer the question, “How are you?”
Reveal the Green Group
Category: Kinds of mats
Answers: PRAYER, WELCOME, WRESTLING, YOGA
Each word forms a familiar expression with MAT.
PRAYER: A mat used during religious prayer.
WELCOME: A mat placed near an entrance.
WRESTLING: A padded surface for wrestling.
YOGA: A mat used for yoga and stretching.
The connection is their shared association with mats.
Reveal the Blue Group
Category: AKC dog breed groups
Answers: HERDING, HOUND, SPORTING, TOY
These are official American Kennel Club breed classifications.
HERDING: Dogs traditionally used to move livestock.
HOUND: Breeds associated with hunting and tracking.
SPORTING: Breeds developed to assist hunters.
TOY: Generally small companion dog breeds.
All four identify recognized AKC breed groups.
Reveal the Purple Group
Category: Horror movies with last letter changed
Answers: HALLOWEEK, HOSTED, JAWN, PSYCHS
Each answer changes the final letter of a horror movie title.
HALLOWEEK: HALLOWEEN, changing N to K.
HOSTED: HOSTEL, changing L to D.
JAWN: JAWS, changing S to N.
PSYCHS: PSYCHO, changing O to S.
The shared pattern is a one-letter alteration to the end of each movie title.
Play today’s puzzle on the official NYT Connections website.
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