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Verified archive for September 22, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1199

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for September 22, 2026

Connections puzzle #1199 for September 22, 2026 combines a direct grammar set with embellishment terms, survey options, and a group defined by removed acute accents.

Guide editorSofia RamirezEditor

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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 22 board fits together

Short words create possible cross-group readings, but the dependable test is whether one exact category statement applies to all four proposed entries.

Overall difficultyThe board mixes grammar, embellishment, survey language, and accent-based wordplay, so several short words can initially appear compatible.Biggest trapTHIS and THAT belong together as DEMONSTRATIVES, but pairing them with THE and OTHER does not complete a valid group: THE belongs with beverages whose acute accents were removed, while OTHER is a multiple-choice survey option.Best first moveStart with THAT, THESE, THIS, and THOSE. Research identifies all four as demonstratives, giving a complete group without relying on the broader flexibility of the short words.

Why the board is deceptive

The grammar set provides a stable entry point because THAT, THESE, THIS, and THOSE share the exact relationship DEMONSTRATIVES.

After removing that quartet, distinguish the survey responses from the embellishment terms before testing the remaining words against the accent-removal category.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Remove the four demonstratives first. Next collect AGREE, DISAGREE, NEUTRAL, and OTHER as survey options. ACCENT, DETAIL, FLOURISH, and TOUCH then satisfy EMBELLISHMENT, leaving CAFE, PATRON, ROSE, and THE for the acute-accent wordplay group.

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.

Pointing words in English grammarReveal this group

What connects THAT, THESE, THIS and THOSE?

THAT · THESE · THIS · THOSE

DEMONSTRATIVES. THAT, THESE, THIS, and THOSE are all demonstratives used to point to people and things.

Best anchor: Test the four pointing words as one grammar family.

Added decorative or expressive elementsReveal this group

What connects ACCENT, DETAIL, FLOURISH and TOUCH?

ACCENT · DETAIL · FLOURISH · TOUCH

EMBELLISHMENT. ACCENT, DETAIL, FLOURISH, and TOUCH each fit the official category EMBELLISHMENT.

Best anchor: Look for words naming an added embellishment.

Selectable survey responsesReveal this group

What connects AGREE, DISAGREE, NEUTRAL and OTHER?

AGREE · DISAGREE · NEUTRAL · OTHER

OPTIONS ON A MULTIPLE CHOICE SURVEY. AGREE, DISAGREE, NEUTRAL, and OTHER can all appear as options on a multiple choice survey.

Best anchor: Imagine the four words beside selectable survey controls.

Drink names altered by accent removalReveal this group

What connects CAFE, PATRON, ROSE and THE?

CAFE · PATRON · ROSE · THE

BEVERAGES WITH ACUTE ACCENTS REMOVED. CAFE, PATRON, ROSE, and THE satisfy the official relationship BEVERAGES WITH ACUTE ACCENTS REMOVED.

Best anchor: Apply the same acute-accent restoration test to all four.

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 guideWhy THAT, THESE, THIS, and THOSE Are DemonstrativesExplain this connection Supporting clue guideHow ACCENT, DETAIL, FLOURISH, and TOUCH Mean EmbellishmentExplain this connection Supporting clue guideWhy AGREE, DISAGREE, NEUTRAL, and OTHER Are Survey OptionsExplain this connection Supporting clue guideThe Acute-Accent Beverage Wordplay in Connections #1199Explain 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
    DEMONSTRATIVES

    Test the four pointing words as one grammar family.

  2. 2
    EMBELLISHMENT

    Look for words naming an added embellishment.

  3. 3
    OPTIONS ON A MULTIPLE CHOICE SURVEY

    Imagine the four words beside selectable survey controls.

  4. 4
    BEVERAGES WITH ACUTE ACCENTS REMOVED

    Apply the same acute-accent restoration test to all four.

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 THAT, THESE, THIS, and THOSE. Research identifies all four as demonstratives, giving a complete group without relying on the broader flexibility of the short words..

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.

The four entries form a directly documented grammatical set, though their everyday flexibility may delay recognition. groupPointing words in English grammar
DEMONSTRATIVES: Test the four pointing words as one grammar family.
These nouns share the broad relationship of embellishment without requiring one narrower type of addition. groupAdded decorative or expressive elements
EMBELLISHMENT: Look for words naming an added embellishment.
AGREE and DISAGREE point toward response language, while NEUTRAL and OTHER complete the exact survey category. groupSelectable survey responses
OPTIONS ON A MULTIPLE CHOICE SURVEY: Imagine the four words beside selectable survey controls.
The relationship depends on reading each displayed form through the exact acute-accent transformation named by the category. groupDrink names altered by accent removal
BEVERAGES WITH ACUTE ACCENTS REMOVED: Apply the same acute-accent restoration test to all four.

Language background

Useful guides for today’s wordplay

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

Language guideThis Meaning: Definition, Usage, and Connections Context

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

Read the language guide Language guideNeutral Meaning: Definition, Usage, and Survey Context

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

Sofia Ramirez

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

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