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Updated and verified for November 9, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1247

NYT Connections #1247 Hints Today (November 9, 2026)

Connections puzzle #1247 for November 9, 2026 combines a direct clothing category, a set of deceit-related expressions, a shared edge feature, and a phrase-ending pattern involving sea creatures.

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

How the November 9 board fits together

Keep every relationship at the breadth stated by the official category. The serrated group concerns things with serrated edges, while the final group concerns phrases ending in sea-creature names.

Overall difficultyModerate, with two direct descriptive groups and two patterns that reward reading complete phrases carefully.Biggest trapA player may notice individual objects, clothing language, or animal words without checking whether four entries satisfy one exact relationship. In particular, CARD SHARK and FUN SPONGE belong together, while other promising phrase fragments do not complete that set.Best first moveStart with BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, and SKINNY. All four work literally as jeans descriptors, so confirming that complete set reduces the phrase-level overlap elsewhere.

Why the board is deceptive

One group is built from familiar descriptors that can all modify jeans without changing the official relationship.

The remaining groups require distinguishing whole-expression meanings, physical edge descriptions, and words hidden at phrase endings.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Lock the four jeans descriptors first, then test CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF, and SHELL GAME as deceitful schemes. Examine the remaining objects for serrated edges before reading the final four entries by their ending words.

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.

Dishonest propositionsReveal this group

What connects CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF and SHELL GAME?

CON JOB · FLIMFLAM · RIP-OFF · SHELL GAME

DECEITFUL SCHEME. CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF, and SHELL GAME are the four entries grouped by the official relationship DECEITFUL SCHEME.

Best anchor: Read each entry as a complete term for a dishonest scheme.

Denim descriptionReveal this group

What connects BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE and SKINNY?

BOOTCUT · DISTRESSED · LOW-RISE · SKINNY

JEANS DESCRIPTORS. BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, and SKINNY all satisfy the official category JEANS DESCRIPTORS.

Best anchor: Place each word in the context of a jeans description.

A shared edge featureReveal this group

What connects GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, STEAK KNIFE and TAPE DISPENSER?

GRAPEFRUIT SPOON · MINT LEAF · STEAK KNIFE · TAPE DISPENSER

THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES. GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, STEAK KNIFE, and TAPE DISPENSER share the official relationship THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES.

Best anchor: Inspect the edges rather than trying to match the objects by use.

Aquatic endingsReveal this group

What connects CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY and NAVY SEAL?

CARD SHARK · FUN SPONGE · GAMMA RAY · NAVY SEAL

ENDING IN SEA CREATURES. CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY, and NAVY SEAL end in SHARK, SPONGE, RAY, and SEAL, matching ENDING IN SEA CREATURES.

Best anchor: Ignore the full phrase meaning briefly and compare only its ending.

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 guideHow the DECEITFUL SCHEME Group Works for November 9, 2026Explain this connection Supporting clue guideWhy These Four Words Are JEANS DESCRIPTORS for November 9, 2026Explain this connection Supporting clue guideExplaining THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES for November 9, 2026Explain this connection Supporting clue guideHow the ENDING IN SEA CREATURES Group Works for November 9, 2026Explain 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
    DECEITFUL SCHEME

    Read each entry as a complete term for a dishonest scheme.

  2. 2
    JEANS DESCRIPTORS

    Place each word in the context of a jeans description.

  3. 3
    THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES

    Inspect the edges rather than trying to match the objects by use.

  4. 4
    ENDING IN SEA CREATURES

    Ignore the full phrase meaning briefly and compare only its ending.

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 BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, and SKINNY. All four work literally as jeans descriptors, so confirming that complete set reduces the phrase-level overlap elsewhere..

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 relationship becomes manageable once the entries are evaluated as complete expressions rather than by isolated words. groupDishonest propositions
DECEITFUL SCHEME: Read each entry as a complete term for a dishonest scheme.
This is a direct modifier group, although several words also have established meanings outside clothing. groupDenim description
JEANS DESCRIPTORS: Place each word in the context of a jeans description.
The four items differ in form, so the useful comparison is the exact feature named by the category. groupA shared edge feature
THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES: Inspect the edges rather than trying to match the objects by use.
The relationship appears only after the complete phrases are separated into their final component words. groupAquatic endings
ENDING IN SEA CREATURES: Ignore the full phrase meaning briefly and compare only its ending.

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

Maya Brooks

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

Read Maya’s profile →