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Verified archive for August 22, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1168

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for August 22, 2026

The August 22, 2026 Connections board combines workshop vocabulary, melon names, hose settings and pop-culture phrase completions.

Guide editorEthan ParkEditor

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

August 22, 2026 Connections answers

Categories and word assignments are reproduced exactly from the validated source. Possible overlaps are described as player-facing observations, not as editor intent.

Overall difficultyThe verified color order moves from yellow to purple, with the final group requiring a phrase-completion reading.Biggest trapSeveral board words can suggest water, taste, entertainment or general objects, so test the exact category wording before committing.Best first moveStart with CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE and SAW: together they form the exact official category CARPENTRY TOOLS.

Why the board is deceptive

The yellow group is CARPENTRY TOOLS: CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE and SAW.

The remaining groups are KINDS OF MELON, GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS and ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

A useful route is to secure the concrete tool set first, then inspect words that can follow or precede familiar category terms. After removing each confirmed quartet, check the remaining words against the literal source labels rather than relying on an attractive association.

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.

CARPENTRY TOOLSReveal this group

What connects CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE and SAW?

CHISEL · HAMMER · PLANE · SAW

CARPENTRY TOOLS. These four words are the exact official set under CARPENTRY TOOLS. The group should be read as a category relationship, not as a narrower claim about one particular use.

Best anchor: Begin with the concrete workshop set.

KINDS OF MELONReveal this group

What connects BITTER, MUSK, WATER and WINTER?

BITTER · MUSK · WATER · WINTER

KINDS OF MELON. BITTER, MUSK, WATER and WINTER make the official KINDS OF MELON group. The category title supplies the relationship for all four words.

Best anchor: Read the modifiers with the category title.

GARDEN HOSE SETTINGSReveal this group

What connects CONE, JET, MIST and SHOWER?

CONE · JET · MIST · SHOWER

GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS. CONE, JET, MIST and SHOWER are the four official GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS. Their shared role here is the source category, not every unrelated meaning of each word.

Best anchor: Treat the words as selectable spray settings.

___ GIRLS OF POP CULTUREReveal this group

What connects GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN and SPICE?

GILMORE · GOLDEN · MEAN · SPICE

___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE. The purple group completes the exact source category ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE with GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN and SPICE.

Best anchor: Try each word before GIRLS as a phrase completion.

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 guideAugust 22, 2026 Connections: CARPENTRY TOOLS AnswerExplain this connection Supporting clue guideAugust 22, 2026 Connections: KINDS OF MELON AnswerExplain this connection Supporting clue guideAugust 22, 2026 Connections: GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS AnswerExplain this connection Supporting clue guideAugust 22, 2026 Connections: ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE AnswerExplain 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
    CARPENTRY TOOLS

    Begin with the concrete workshop set.

  2. 2
    KINDS OF MELON

    Read the modifiers with the category title.

  3. 3
    GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS

    Treat the words as selectable spray settings.

  4. 4
    ___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE

    Try each word before GIRLS as a phrase completion.

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 CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE and SAW: together they form the exact official category CARPENTRY TOOLS..

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 groupCARPENTRY TOOLS
CARPENTRY TOOLS: Begin with the concrete workshop set.
green groupKINDS OF MELON
KINDS OF MELON: Read the modifiers with the category title.
blue groupGARDEN HOSE SETTINGS
GARDEN HOSE SETTINGS: Treat the words as selectable spray settings.
purple group___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE
___ GIRLS OF POP CULTURE: Try each word before GIRLS as a phrase completion.

Language background

Useful guides for today’s wordplay

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

Language guideHammer Meaning

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

Read the language guide Language guideMist 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

Ethan Park

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

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