NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, November 9 (game #1247)

2 hours ago 22
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background (Image credit: New York Times)

Follow us

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1247) - today's words

NYT Connections hints for game 1247 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

  • STEAK KNIFE
  • CARD SHARK
  • CON JOB
  • BOOTCUT
  • NAVY SEAL
  • SHELL GAME
  • MINT LEAF
  • GAMMA RAY
  • TAPE DISPENSER
  • LOW-RISE
  • FUN SPONGE
  • RIP-OFF
  • SKINNY
  • FLIMFLAM
  • GRAPEFRUIT
  • SPOON
  • DISTRESSED

NYT Connections today (game #1247) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: Designed to trick you
  • GREEN: Well worn trousers
  • BLUE: Share a jagged element
  • PURPLE: Marine life second

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

NYT Connections today (game #1247) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: DECEITFUL SCHEME
  • GREEN: JEANS DESCRIPTORS
  • BLUE: THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES
  • PURPLE: ENDING IN SEA CREATURES

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1247) - the answers

NYT Connections answers for game 1247 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1247, are…

  • YELLOW: DECEITFUL SCHEME: CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF, SHELL GAME
  • GREEN: JEANS DESCRIPTORS: BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, SKINNY
  • BLUE: THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES: GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, STEAK KNIFE, TAPE DISPENSER
  • PURPLE: ENDING IN SEA CREATURES: CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY, NAVY SEAL

  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

It was hard not to begin with GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, as it seemed such an utterly random tile, and after I’d added MINT LEAF to the more obvious THINGS WITH SERRATED EDGES I was convinced that I’d landed a Purple First.

Alas, this foursome was only classed as a blue — although I’d argue that it was a more difficult spot than ENDING IN SEA CREATURES; congratulations if you chose to start here.

My failure to get the yellow came down to not realizing what SHELL GAME is — although after Googling it afterwards I remembered that as a gullible tourist I had fallen for it once in New Orleans and lost $20 guessing the location of a small ball. Fortunately, it’s the kind of trick you only fall for once, but there’s always a new fool, as it’s been around since Ancient Greece.


Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, November 8, 2026, game #1246)

  • YELLOW: HAIR SALON SERVICES: BLOWOUT, COLOR, EXTENSIONS, TRIM
  • GREEN: MUSCULAR: BUILT, CUT, JACKED, RIPPED
  • BLUE: THINGS THAT HELP MAKE SENSE OF A SITUATION: CLARITY, CONTEXT, INSIGHT, PERSPECTIVE
  • PURPLE: VEGETABLE HOMOPHONES: CARAT, CHARRED, KORN, LEAK

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna's addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.

Read Entire Article