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Verified archive for August 4, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1150

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for August 4, 2026

Connections puzzle No. 1150 for August 4, 2026 mixes familiar city imagery, pedal-operated objects, elongated forms, and visual V shapes. The main challenge is separating surface associations from exact physical properties.

Guide editorEthan ParkEditor

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Take one step at a time

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

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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

August 4, 2026 Connections Overview

Edited by Wyna Liu. The puzzle favors concrete visual and mechanical relationships, while the New York City category supplies the strongest cultural grouping.

Overall difficultyModerate, with broad visual categories offset by several convincing object-based overlaps.Biggest trapThe board encourages loose groups based on transportation, city life, and shape before the exact shared properties become clear.Best first moveStart with PIANO, SEWING MACHINE, SWAN BOAT, and UNICYCLE because their shared pedal mechanism is specific despite their different uses.

Why the board is deceptive

The board ranges across food, exercise equipment, transportation, machinery, symbols, and familiar urban imagery.

Several words suggest movement or New York independently, but each official group relies on a more precise shared feature.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Lock in the four pedal-operated entries first, then identify the four unmistakable New York City sights. From the remaining eight, separate long cylindrical objects from items whose appearance forms a V.

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.

Long, Round ObjectsReveal this group

What connects CIGARETTE, FOAM ROLLER, POOL NOODLE and PRETZEL ROD?

CIGARETTE · FOAM ROLLER · POOL NOODLE · PRETZEL ROD

LONG CYLINDRICAL THINGS. CIGARETTE, FOAM ROLLER, POOL NOODLE, and PRETZEL ROD are all recognizable as long cylindrical objects despite differing greatly in size and use.

Best anchor: Compare their silhouettes rather than their functions.

Familiar New York City ImagesReveal this group

What connects BODEGA, PIGEON, SUBWAY STATION and TAXI CAB?

BODEGA · PIGEON · SUBWAY STATION · TAXI CAB

ICONIC NYC SIGHTS. BODEGA, PIGEON, SUBWAY STATION, and TAXI CAB are all familiar sights strongly associated with everyday street life in New York City.

Best anchor: Imagine what might appear during one walk through New York City.

Operated or Controlled by FootReveal this group

What connects PIANO, SEWING MACHINE, SWAN BOAT and UNICYCLE?

PIANO · SEWING MACHINE · SWAN BOAT · UNICYCLE

THINGS WITH PEDALS. PIANO, SEWING MACHINE, SWAN BOAT, and UNICYCLE all have pedals, although those pedals control sound, machinery, propulsion, or wheel movement.

Best anchor: Focus on the operator's feet, not the object's broader purpose.

Forms Resembling One LetterReveal this group

What connects ANGLE BRACKET, CHEVRON, GOOSE FORMATION and PEACE SIGN?

ANGLE BRACKET · CHEVRON · GOOSE FORMATION · PEACE SIGN

V-SHAPED THINGS. ANGLE BRACKET, CHEVRON, GOOSE FORMATION, and PEACE SIGN can each present a V shape, whether as a mark, pattern, flying arrangement, or finger gesture.

Best anchor: Visualize each entry as a simple outline or arrangement.

Today’s supporting guides

Why the trickiest words belong together

These focused articles go beyond the answer: they explain the exact relationship, the convincing red herrings and how to recognize the pattern again.

Supporting clue guideWhy These Are Long Cylindrical ThingsExplain this connection Supporting clue guideWhy These Are Iconic NYC SightsExplain this connection Supporting clue guideWhy These Are Things With PedalsExplain this connection Supporting clue guideWhy These Are V-Shaped ThingsExplain this connection Supporting clue guideDefinitions for all 16 puzzle wordsExplain this connection

Browse every Connections clue explainer →

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
    LONG CYLINDRICAL THINGS

    Compare their silhouettes rather than their functions.

  2. 2
    ICONIC NYC SIGHTS

    Imagine what might appear during one walk through New York City.

  3. 3
    THINGS WITH PEDALS

    Focus on the operator's feet, not the object's broader purpose.

  4. 4
    V-SHAPED THINGS

    Visualize each entry as a simple outline or arrangement.

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 PIANO, SEWING MACHINE, SWAN BOAT, and UNICYCLE because their shared pedal mechanism is specific despite their different uses..

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.

Most direct once the physical dimensions are compared rather than the objects' purposes. groupLong, Round Objects
LONG CYLINDRICAL THINGS: Compare their silhouettes rather than their functions.
Accessible culturally, though the words can initially scatter across retail, wildlife, transit, and transportation. groupFamiliar New York City Images
ICONIC NYC SIGHTS: Imagine what might appear during one walk through New York City.
Moderate because the pedals perform different jobs across music, machinery, leisure craft, and personal transport. groupOperated or Controlled by Foot
THINGS WITH PEDALS: Focus on the operator's feet, not the object's broader purpose.
Trickiest because the common feature appears in typography, graphic design, collective movement, and a hand gesture. groupForms Resembling One Letter
V-SHAPED THINGS: Visualize each entry as a simple outline or arrangement.

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

Ethan Park

Ethan turns word patterns and solving routes into concise, accessible guidance for daily players.

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