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Verified archive for June 21, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1106

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for June 21, 2026

The June 21, 2026 puzzle mixes familiar weather language and television titles with flexible verbs and a difficult opening-word pattern.

Guide editorJordan EllisEditor

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Take one step at a time

4 groups
Group 1Category hidden
Group 2Category hidden
Group 3Category hidden
Group 4Category hidden

Need more than a hint?

Get a spoiler-safe solving plan

Use three general checks to make progress without seeing a category or answer.

Open today’s solving plan
  1. Prefer an exact rule.A shared topic is only a lead. Look for four words connected in the same precise way.
  2. Find the least flexible word.Use the word with the narrowest meaning to place words that could belong in several groups.
  3. Test the grammar.If the leftovers look unrelated, try placing one common word before or after each answer.

Reveal guide

Choose only as much help as you need

Every group has its own ladder. Opening one level never exposes another group.

  1. 1
    Start with a small hint

    Get a gentle nudge without seeing the category or its words.

  2. 2
    Ask for a stronger hint

    Use a more specific clue before revealing the category.

  3. 3
    Reveal only what you choose

    Open the category, then the four words only when you are ready.

You remain in control. You can move between levels without revealing the rest of the puzzle.

Practice board guide

Try a group without risking your streak

This scratchpad checks your thinking locally. It never sends a guess to the official puzzle.

  1. 1
    Choose four words

    Tap any four tiles that share one precise connection.

  2. 2
    Check the set

    Once four are selected, press “Check these four.”

  3. 3
    Keep it or adjust

    A correct group is confirmed. If it misses, swap one word or open a hint.

Nothing here affects an official streak. Clear the board at any time and try another four.

Today’s puzzle explained

Connections #1106 overview

The progression moves from a concrete weather set to synonyms, television titles, and a letter-pattern category. The official words and category titles are preserved exactly.

Overall difficultyModerate, with two accessible groups followed by a deceptive wordplay finishBiggest trapROCKS and WINGS can suggest music or movement, while COMMUNITY and FRIENDS look like social concepts. The strongest trap is treating the four long purple words by their full meanings instead of examining their beginnings.Best first moveStart with DRIZZLE, RAIN, SHOWERS, and SPRINKLES, the clearest set of precipitation terms.

Why the board is deceptive

The most concrete entry point is the four-word weather group, whose members all describe precipitation.

The final categories depend on recognizing NBC comedy titles and splitting longer words at carefully chosen openings.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

First eliminate the four precipitation terms, then test FLOORS, ROCKS, STUNS and SURPRISES as verbs meaning astonishes. The other eight are either NBC sitcom titles or they’re words starting with BARB, DIG, DISS, or SLAP.

Spoilers below

Today’s groups and answers

Each group stays hidden until you choose to open it. Reveal one at a time, or keep this section closed while you continue solving.

Wet weatherReveal this group

What connects DRIZZLE, RAIN, SHOWERS and SPRINKLES?

DRIZZLE · RAIN · SHOWERS · SPRINKLES

PRECIPITATION. DRIZZLE, RAIN, SHOWERS, and SPRINKLES are all terms for water falling from the atmosphere in different patterns or intensities.

Best anchor: All four words directly name forms of wet weather.

AstonishesReveal this group

What connects FLOORS, ROCKS, STUNS and SURPRISES?

FLOORS · ROCKS · STUNS · SURPRISES

BOWLS OVER. FLOORS, ROCKS, STUNS, and SURPRISES can each describe the effect of something that astonishes, overwhelms, or catches someone off guard.

Best anchor: Each word can mean to astonish or overwhelm someone.

Network comediesReveal this group

What connects COMMUNITY, FRIENDS, SCRUBS and WINGS?

COMMUNITY · FRIENDS · SCRUBS · WINGS

NBC SITCOMS. COMMUNITY, FRIENDS, SCRUBS, and WINGS are all titles of sitcoms that aired on NBC, despite also being ordinary plural or collective words.

Best anchor: All the words are the title of an NBC sitcom.

Insults up frontReveal this group

What connects BARBADOS, DIGGITY, DISSECT and SLAPDASH?

BARBADOS · DIGGITY · DISSECT · SLAPDASH

STARTING WITH KINDS OF INSULTS. BARBADOS starts with BARB, DIGGITY with DIG, DISSECT with DISS, and SLAPDASH with SLAP; each opening can name a kind of insult.

Best anchor: Each word begins with a hidden insult word or phrase.

How to solve this Connections puzzle

The thinking route, not just the answers

Use today’s anchor words as a repeatable method: secure an exact group, remove it, and let the remaining board become more specific.

  1. 1
    PRECIPITATION

    All four words directly name forms of wet weather.

  2. 2
    BOWLS OVER

    Each word can mean to astonish or overwhelm someone.

  3. 3
    NBC SITCOMS

    All the words are the title of an NBC sitcom.

  4. 4
    STARTING WITH KINDS OF INSULTS

    Each word begins with a hidden insult word or phrase.

Mental model to reuse tomorrow

Exact relationship beats shared topic

Weak rule“These words feel related.”A broad topic can support several tempting but unstable groups.

Strong rule“The same test works for all four.”One precise relationship should explain every answer in the same way.

Today’s best first move: Start with DRIZZLE, RAIN, SHOWERS, and SPRINKLES, the clearest set of precipitation terms..

Build your solving vocabulary

Four anchors worth spotting

An anchor is the least flexible word in a possible group. It often exposes the intended relationship before the more ambiguous words do.

Easy groupWet weather
PRECIPITATION: All four words directly name forms of wet weather.
Medium groupAstonishes
BOWLS OVER: Each word can mean to astonish or overwhelm someone.
Medium groupNetwork comedies
NBC SITCOMS: All the words are the title of an NBC sitcom.
Hard groupInsults up front
STARTING WITH KINDS OF INSULTS: Each word begins with a hidden insult word or phrase.

Questions players ask

Connections help without extra spoilers

I’m stuck. Which hint should I open first?

Start with the small hint for the group you feel closest to solving. Use the stronger hint only if the first nudge is not enough, then reveal the category or four words when you want confirmation.

What should I do when five words seem to belong together?

Assume one is a red herring. Look for the word with a strong second meaning, then test whether it forms a cleaner group elsewhere.

What does “Test a group” do?

Select four words and choose “Check these four” to see whether your grouping works. It stays on this page and never submits a guess to the official puzzle or affects a streak.

Do I need to solve the groups in difficulty order?

No. Start with the clearest exact set. Removing an obvious group often exposes the overlapping meanings and wordplay in the harder groups.

Can I check one answer without spoiling the whole puzzle?

Yes. Every group opens independently, so you can reveal one hint, category or set of four words while keeping the other groups hidden.

About the guide editor

Jordan Ellis

Jordan connects editorial explanations with practice tools, custom puzzles and the site’s future original games.

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