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Verified archive for August 6, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1152

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for August 6, 2026

Connections #1152 for August 6, 2026 combines wooden toys, places with lanes, Roman landmarks and places with nets. The key is to keep each relationship as broad and literal as its official wording.

Guide editorJordan EllisEditor

Start here

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 #1152 group overview

Difficulty language follows the verified yellow, green, blue and purple order. Possible overlaps are described only as observations a player may make while sorting the board.

Overall difficultyThe official sequence moves from yellow through green and blue to purple.Biggest trapSeveral entries name places, so a broad location-based set can feel promising before its relationship is precise enough.Best first moveStart with COLOSSEUM, PANTHEON, SPANISH STEPS and TREVI FOUNTAIN, which satisfy the exact category ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS.

Why the board is deceptive

The yellow and green groups ask you to recognize a shared object type and a shared feature of several places.

The blue and purple groups shift toward named landmarks and another feature shared by four otherwise varied places.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Isolate the four named Roman landmarks first, then test the remaining place names for either lanes or nets. The four entries left after those location-based groups resolve form the classic wooden toys category.

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.

Traditional playthingsReveal this group

What connects ALPHABET BLOCKS, CUP-AND-BALL, JACOB'S LADDER and LINCOLN LOGS?

ALPHABET BLOCKS · CUP-AND-BALL · JACOB'S LADDER · LINCOLN LOGS

CLASSIC WOODEN TOYS. ALPHABET BLOCKS, CUP-AND-BALL, JACOB'S LADDER and LINCOLN LOGS complete the official category CLASSIC WOODEN TOYS.

Best anchor: CUP-AND-BALL points directly toward a traditional toy.

Locations sharing lanesReveal this group

What connects BOWLING ALLEY, FREEWAY, SUPERMARKET and SWIMMING POOL?

BOWLING ALLEY · FREEWAY · SUPERMARKET · SWIMMING POOL

PLACES WITH LANES. BOWLING ALLEY, FREEWAY, SUPERMARKET and SWIMMING POOL fit the official relationship PLACES WITH LANES.

Best anchor: BOWLING ALLEY offers a direct route to the word lanes.

Named sights in RomeReveal this group

What connects COLOSSEUM, PANTHEON, SPANISH STEPS and TREVI FOUNTAIN?

COLOSSEUM · PANTHEON · SPANISH STEPS · TREVI FOUNTAIN

ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS. COLOSSEUM, PANTHEON, SPANISH STEPS and TREVI FOUNTAIN are the four entries in ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS.

Best anchor: COLOSSEUM provides a firm geographic starting point.

Locations sharing netsReveal this group

What connects BARCLAYS CENTER, FISHING BOAT, HOCKEY RINK and TENNIS COURT?

BARCLAYS CENTER · FISHING BOAT · HOCKEY RINK · TENNIS COURT

PLACES WITH NETS. BARCLAYS CENTER, FISHING BOAT, HOCKEY RINK and TENNIS COURT complete the official category PLACES WITH NETS.

Best anchor: TENNIS COURT gives a direct clue toward the shared word nets.

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 guideCLASSIC WOODEN TOYS explained for Connections #1152Explain this connection Supporting clue guidePLACES WITH LANES explained for Connections #1152Explain this connection Supporting clue guideICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS explained for Connections #1152Explain this connection Supporting clue guidePLACES WITH NETS explained for Connections #1152Explain 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
    CLASSIC WOODEN TOYS

    CUP-AND-BALL points directly toward a traditional toy.

  2. 2
    PLACES WITH LANES

    BOWLING ALLEY offers a direct route to the word lanes.

  3. 3
    ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS

    COLOSSEUM provides a firm geographic starting point.

  4. 4
    PLACES WITH NETS

    TENNIS COURT gives a direct clue toward the shared word nets.

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 COLOSSEUM, PANTHEON, SPANISH STEPS and TREVI FOUNTAIN, which satisfy the exact category ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS..

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.

Yellow, the first group in the verified color order. groupTraditional playthings
CLASSIC WOODEN TOYS: CUP-AND-BALL points directly toward a traditional toy.
Green, the second group in the verified color order. groupLocations sharing lanes
PLACES WITH LANES: BOWLING ALLEY offers a direct route to the word lanes.
Blue, the third group in the verified color order. groupNamed sights in Rome
ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS: COLOSSEUM provides a firm geographic starting point.
Purple, the fourth group in the verified color order. groupLocations sharing nets
PLACES WITH NETS: TENNIS COURT gives a direct clue toward the shared word nets.

Language background

Useful guides for today’s wordplay

These independent language explainers add definition, origin or usage context where it genuinely helps.

Language guideCup-And-Ball Meaning

Go deeper on this word or phrase without duplicating the puzzle explanation.

Read the language guide Language guideFreeway Meaning

Go deeper on this word or phrase without duplicating the puzzle explanation.

Read the language guide Language guidePantheon Meaning

Go deeper on this word or phrase without duplicating the puzzle explanation.

Read the language guide

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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