Today’s word-game hints, updated daily
HintCorner

Daily word-game guide

Verified archive for August 31, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1177

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for August 31, 2026

Connections puzzle #1177 for August 31, 2026 asks solvers to sort shipping warnings, sovereign titles, things that come in tubes, and words that precede BOWL.

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

How the August 31 board comes together

Keep POKE attached to the exact phrase-completion rule rather than one of its standalone senses. The verified color order places the tube set first and the BOWL set fourth.

Overall difficultyThe board follows the verified yellow, green, blue, and purple progression, with phrase completion reserved for the final color tier.Biggest trapPOKE may first suggest one of its standalone meanings, but on this board it belongs with DUST, SALAD, and SUPER because each precedes BOWL.Best first moveBegin with the shipping-box language: FRAGILE, HEAVY, PERISHABLE, and THIS SIDE UP form a complete set without narrowing what any warning communicates.

Why the board is deceptive

One group collects four things that come in tubes, while another uses wording that can appear as warnings on a shipping box.

The remaining eight entries separate into historical sovereign titles and four words that complete familiar expressions ending in BOWL.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Set aside FRAGILE, HEAVY, PERISHABLE, and THIS SIDE UP as shipping-box warnings. Then isolate CALIPH, KHAN, PHARAOH, and SHOGUN as historical sovereign titles. The four BOWL completions leave the tube group intact.

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.

Things that come in tubesReveal this group

What connects LIPSTICK, POSTER, TENNIS BALLS and TOOTHPASTE?

LIPSTICK · POSTER · TENNIS BALLS · TOOTHPASTE

THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES. LIPSTICK, POSTER, TENNIS BALLS, and TOOTHPASTE preserve the official relationship: each is a thing that comes in tubes.

Best anchor: Tubes provide the shared relationship for all four entries.

Warnings on a shipping boxReveal this group

What connects FRAGILE, HEAVY, PERISHABLE and THIS SIDE UP?

FRAGILE · HEAVY · PERISHABLE · THIS SIDE UP

WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX. FRAGILE, HEAVY, PERISHABLE, and THIS SIDE UP are united by the official category WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX.

Best anchor: A shipping box can carry each of these warnings.

Historical sovereign titlesReveal this group

What connects CALIPH, KHAN, PHARAOH and SHOGUN?

CALIPH · KHAN · PHARAOH · SHOGUN

HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES. CALIPH, KHAN, PHARAOH, and SHOGUN form the verified set of HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES.

Best anchor: Each entry is being used specifically as a historical sovereign title.

Words before BOWLReveal this group

What connects DUST, POKE, SALAD and SUPER?

DUST · POKE · SALAD · SUPER

___ BOWL. DUST, POKE, SALAD, and SUPER each complete the official blank in ___ BOWL: DUST BOWL, POKE BOWL, SALAD BOWL, and SUPER BOWL.

Best anchor: Place BOWL directly after each of the four words.

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
    THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES

    Tubes provide the shared relationship for all four entries.

  2. 2
    WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX

    A shipping box can carry each of these warnings.

  3. 3
    HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES

    Each entry is being used specifically as a historical sovereign title.

  4. 4
    ___ BOWL

    Place BOWL directly after each of the four words.

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 with the shipping-box language: FRAGILE, HEAVY, PERISHABLE, and THIS SIDE UP form a complete set without narrowing what any warning communicates..

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 tier in the verified color order. groupThings that come in tubes
THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES: Tubes provide the shared relationship for all four entries.
Green, the second tier in the verified color order. groupWarnings on a shipping box
WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX: A shipping box can carry each of these warnings.
Blue, the third tier in the verified color order. groupHistorical sovereign titles
HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES: Each entry is being used specifically as a historical sovereign title.
Purple, the fourth tier in the verified color order. groupWords before BOWL
___ BOWL: Place BOWL directly after each of the four words.

Language background

Useful guides for today’s wordplay

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

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.

Read Ethan’s profile →