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Updated and verified for September 2, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1179

NYT Connections Hints Today (September 2, 2026) + Answers

Connections #1179, dated September 2, 2026, groups sixteen words into four verified categories, including violin-case items and two kinds of dog phrases.

Guide editorMaya BrooksSenior Editor

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

September 2, 2026 Connections overview

Official source facts are preserved exactly. Difficulty wording follows the verified yellow, green, blue, and purple order without attributing intent to the editor.

Overall difficultyThe verified color order places FLABBERGAST in yellow, THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE in green, ___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS) in blue, and ___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS) in purple.Biggest trapBOW and MUTE can suggest meanings outside the violin-case category, while DOGS can invite players to compare the two dog-labelled groups.Best first moveStart with DAZZLE, STUN, and WOW as a strong synonym core, then test FLOOR to complete FLABBERGAST.

Why the board is deceptive

The yellow group is FLABBERGAST: DAZZLE, FLOOR, STUN, and WOW.

The remaining categories cover THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE and two literal word-completion groups for DOGS.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

A useful route is to identify the yellow group from DAZZLE, STUN, and WOW, recognize the four violin-case entries, and then separate DOGS that are dogs from DOGS that are not dogs.

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.

FLABBERGASTReveal this group

What connects DAZZLE, FLOOR, STUN and WOW?

DAZZLE · FLOOR · STUN · WOW

FLABBERGAST. The official category is FLABBERGAST, and its four words are DAZZLE, FLOOR, STUN, and WOW.

Best anchor: DAZZLE, STUN, and WOW form the strongest starting core.

THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASEReveal this group

What connects BOW, MUTE, ROSIN and SHOULDER REST?

BOW · MUTE · ROSIN · SHOULDER REST

THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE. The official category is THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE, containing BOW, MUTE, ROSIN, and SHOULDER REST.

Best anchor: The exact referent is each item as a violin-case object.

___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS)Reveal this group

What connects HUNTING, RESCUE, SAUSAGE and SHEEP?

HUNTING · RESCUE · SAUSAGE · SHEEP

___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS). The official category is ___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS), with HUNTING, RESCUE, SAUSAGE, and SHEEP completing the phrases.

Best anchor: Each completed phrase names a dog category in the official group.

___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS)Reveal this group

What connects CORN, PRAIRIE, SALTY and TOP?

CORN · PRAIRIE · SALTY · TOP

___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS). The official category is ___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS), with CORN, PRAIRIE, SALTY, and TOP completing the phrases.

Best anchor: The completed phrases are the exact non-dog referent in this group.

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
    FLABBERGAST

    DAZZLE, STUN, and WOW form the strongest starting core.

  2. 2
    THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE

    The exact referent is each item as a violin-case object.

  3. 3
    ___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS)

    Each completed phrase names a dog category in the official group.

  4. 4
    ___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS)

    The completed phrases are the exact non-dog referent in this group.

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 DAZZLE, STUN, and WOW as a strong synonym core, then test FLOOR to complete FLABBERGAST..

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 groupFLABBERGAST
FLABBERGAST: DAZZLE, STUN, and WOW form the strongest starting core.
Green groupTHINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE
THINGS IN A VIOLIN CASE: The exact referent is each item as a violin-case object.
Blue group___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS)
___ DOGS (THAT ARE DOGS): Each completed phrase names a dog category in the official group.
Purple group___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS)
___ DOGS (THAT AREN'T DOGS): The completed phrases are the exact non-dog referent in this group.

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

Maya Brooks

Maya focuses on exact category logic, ambiguous overlaps and hints that help without giving the group away.

Read Maya’s profile →