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Verified archive for August 24, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1170

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for August 24, 2026

A 16-word board moves from the exact FISH and PRINCIPAL categories to PRO-WRESTLING LINGO and LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM.

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

August 24, 2026 Connections overview

Tone labels mirror the supplied group order; explanations keep each official label literal and frame possible overlap only as a player observation.

Overall difficultyFour neutral color tiers: yellow, green, blue, and purple in the supplied group order.Biggest trapSome entries may invite a reading outside the printed category; treat that as a player-facing observation and return to a complete official set.Best first moveBegin by testing MULLET, PIKE, SOLE, and TANG as the literal FISH set; once removed, read the remaining entries by category.

Why the board is deceptive

The supplied group order runs from FISH to PRINCIPAL, then PRO-WRESTLING LINGO and LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM.

Use complete four-word membership as the test: preserve each official category relationship literally rather than narrowing it.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

A practical route is to test the literal FISH quartet first, then the PRINCIPAL quartet; use PRO-WRESTLING LINGO next, and leave LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM for the final pass.

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.

FISHReveal this group

What connects MULLET, PIKE, SOLE and TANG?

MULLET · PIKE · SOLE · TANG

FISH. The official category is FISH, and its four listed members are MULLET, PIKE, SOLE, and TANG; the relationship is preserved exactly as supplied.

Best anchor: Literal category membership anchors this quartet.

PRINCIPALReveal this group

What connects ARCH, CHIEF, MAIN and PRIME?

ARCH · CHIEF · MAIN · PRIME

PRINCIPAL. The official category is PRINCIPAL, whose four listed members are ARCH, CHIEF, MAIN, and PRIME; no narrower relationship is substituted.

Best anchor: Treat the printed PRINCIPAL label as the anchor.

PRO-WRESTLING LINGOReveal this group

What connects FACE, HEEL, JOBBER and KAYFABE?

FACE · HEEL · JOBBER · KAYFABE

PRO-WRESTLING LINGO. The official category is PRO-WRESTLING LINGO, and the listed members are FACE, HEEL, JOBBER, and KAYFABE exactly as shown in the verified source.

Best anchor: The exact lingo label is the anchor for all four.

LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERMReveal this group

What connects BESET, DESERVE, EX-LOVE and EYELET?

BESET · DESERVE · EX-LOVE · EYELET

LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM. The official label groups BESET, DESERVE, EX-LOVE, and EYELET under LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM; retain that wording as the rule.

Best anchor: The full wordplay label anchors the final quartet.

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 guideNYT Connections August 24, 2026: FISH Group GuideExplain this connection Supporting clue guideNYT Connections August 24, 2026: PRINCIPAL Group GuideExplain this connection Supporting clue guideNYT Connections August 24, 2026: PRO-WRESTLING LINGO GuideExplain this connection Supporting clue guideNYT Connections August 24, 2026: LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERMExplain 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
    FISH

    Literal category membership anchors this quartet.

  2. 2
    PRINCIPAL

    Treat the printed PRINCIPAL label as the anchor.

  3. 3
    PRO-WRESTLING LINGO

    The exact lingo label is the anchor for all four.

  4. 4
    LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM

    The full wordplay label anchors the final quartet.

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: Begin by testing MULLET, PIKE, SOLE, and TANG as the literal FISH set; once removed, read the remaining entries by category..

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 slot groupFISH
FISH: Literal category membership anchors this quartet.
Green slot groupPRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL: Treat the printed PRINCIPAL label as the anchor.
Blue slot groupPRO-WRESTLING LINGO
PRO-WRESTLING LINGO: The exact lingo label is the anchor for all four.
Purple slot groupLETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM
LETTER HOMOPHONE PLUS TENNIS TERM: The full wordplay label anchors the final quartet.

Language background

Useful guides for today’s wordplay

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

Language guideMullet Meaning: The Fish and Haircut Senses

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

Read the language guide Language guideJobber Meaning: Wrestling and Merchandising Contexts

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

Read the language guide Language guideKayfabe Meaning: The Professional-Wrestling Term

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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