Today’s word-game hints, updated daily
HintCorner

Daily word-game guide

Verified archive for September 4, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1181

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for September 4, 2026

Today’s board has four exact source categories, ranging from spherical things to word-based accessories.

Guide editorSofia RamirezEditor

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 September 4, 2026 board is organized

All category labels and puzzle words are preserved exactly from the verified source. Explanations stay at the level of the supplied puzzle categories.

Overall difficultyThe four groups follow the verified yellow, green, blue and purple order.Biggest trapPlayer-facing overlap is possible when a word suggests a surface reading outside its official category; check the complete four-word set before committing.Best first moveStart by testing SPHERICAL THINGS with BOWLING BALL, EYE, MOON and ORANGE, then confirm that all four official words remain available.

Why the board is deceptive

The first group is SPHERICAL THINGS: BOWLING BALL, EYE, MOON and ORANGE.

The remaining groups cover named foods, kinds of eels, and accessories inside starting and ending letters.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Begin with the yellow group, SPHERICAL THINGS, because its four official words can be tested as one complete set. Next examine the food-name group, then the eel names, and leave the letter-based accessories category 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.

Spherical thingsReveal this group

What connects BOWLING BALL, EYE, MOON and ORANGE?

BOWLING BALL · EYE · MOON · ORANGE

SPHERICAL THINGS. The official category is SPHERICAL THINGS, and its complete word set is BOWLING BALL, EYE, MOON and ORANGE.

Best anchor: Use the exact category wording as the anchor.

Food whose name is two foodsReveal this group

What connects CAKE DONUT, CANDY CORN, CHERRY TOMATO and PIZZA PIE?

CAKE DONUT · CANDY CORN · CHERRY TOMATO · PIZZA PIE

FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS. The official category is FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS, containing CAKE DONUT, CANDY CORN, CHERRY TOMATO and PIZZA PIE.

Best anchor: The two-food wording identifies the group.

Kinds of eelsReveal this group

What connects CONGER, GULPER, MORAY and RIBBON?

CONGER · GULPER · MORAY · RIBBON

KINDS OF EELS. The official category is KINDS OF EELS, with CONGER, GULPER, MORAY and RIBBON as its four words.

Best anchor: The animal category is the direct solving anchor.

Accessories inside starting and ending lettersReveal this group

What connects CRINGY, OPINE, STIED and THAT'S?

CRINGY · OPINE · STIED · THAT'S

ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS. The official category is ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS, containing CRINGY, OPINE, STIED and THAT'S.

Best anchor: Use the complete source title without narrowing it.

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
    SPHERICAL THINGS

    Use the exact category wording as the anchor.

  2. 2
    FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS

    The two-food wording identifies the group.

  3. 3
    KINDS OF EELS

    The animal category is the direct solving anchor.

  4. 4
    ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS

    Use the complete source title without narrowing it.

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 by testing SPHERICAL THINGS with BOWLING BALL, EYE, MOON and ORANGE, then confirm that all four official words remain available..

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 tier; first in the verified color order. groupSpherical things
SPHERICAL THINGS: Use the exact category wording as the anchor.
Green tier; second in the verified color order. groupFood whose name is two foods
FOOD WHOSE NAME IS TWO FOODS: The two-food wording identifies the group.
Blue tier; third in the verified color order. groupKinds of eels
KINDS OF EELS: The animal category is the direct solving anchor.
Purple tier; fourth in the verified color order. groupAccessories inside starting and ending letters
ACCESSORIES INSIDE STARTING AND ENDING LETTERS: Use the complete source title without narrowing it.

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

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia verifies puzzle dates, public numbers, source facts and the archive details that keep daily guides reliable.

Read Sofia’s profile →