The answer to today’s NYT Connections puzzle (#1188) is listed in full below. Scroll to the solution section if you want the groups right away, or work through the hints first if you prefer to earn it.
What Is NYT Connections?
Connections is a daily puzzle from The New York Times. Each day, 16 words appear on the board. Players must sort them into four groups of four, each united by a hidden theme. The four categories are colour-coded by difficulty: yellow is easiest, purple is hardest. One wrong guess costs a life; four wrong guesses and the puzzle ends.
Hints for Today’s Puzzle (No Spoilers)
Four clues, one per group:
- Yellow: A routine you build to look after yourself
- Green: Professionals you might book for a wedding
- Blue: To mentally absorb or understand something deeply
- Purple: Think about what verb precedes each word in the group
NYT Connections Answers for September 11, 2026 (#1188)
Yellow: Ways to Practice Self-Care – EXERCISE, JOURNAL, MEDITATE, UNPLUG
Green: People Hired for an Event – BAND, FLORIST, PHOTOGRAPHER, PLANNER
Blue: Internalize – ABSORB, DIGEST, PROCESS, TAKE IN
Purple: Things That Are Pushed Metaphorically – AGENDA, ENVELOPE, LIMITS, LUCK
How Difficult Was Puzzle #1188?
The self-care group came together quickly for most players once UNPLUG snapped into place, and the event-vendor category was satisfying to build out. The blue group, Internalize, tripped some solvers: DIGEST and PROCESS carry unrelated everyday meanings and are easy to file under the wrong category when you are scanning fast.
The purple group, as is tradition, required lateral thinking. You push an agenda, push the envelope, push your limits, and push your luck. None of those connections are obvious when the words sit in a grid alongside 15 others.
Puzzle #1188 follows a week that has tested vocabulary and wordplay in equal measure. Yesterday’s groups leaned on pop-culture knowledge; today’s required a sharper ear for idiom. NYT Strands and the NYT Mini Crossword are also available for today. NYT Connections resets at midnight Eastern Time, and a fresh board will be waiting tonight.
