Connections #1210 for October 3, 2026 presents a board of longer entries, many of which look like complete names or familiar phrases. Their surface meanings can make several associations seem plausible.
Read each entry carefully before committing to the first recognizable reference. A useful proposed rule must explain the exact spelling on every tile in its set.
The clues below leave room to work out the links yourself. Open the answer panels for the complete groups and a tile-by-tile explanation of the connections.
Playing The Athletic's sports puzzle? Sports Edition hints and explanations.
Connections hints (no spoilers)
Yellow
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The opening parts can all name a bathroom.
Green
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The final parts are titles from the stage.
Blue
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The first words identify American art institutions.
Purple
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The final words are beings from myth or fantasy.
Connections answers — October 3, 2026
Yellow The opening parts can all name a bathroom. Reveal group Hide group
STARTING WITH TERMS FOR "TOILET"
- CAN OPENER
- HEAD WAITER
- JOHN DENVER
- W.C. FIELDS
The entries begin with CAN, HEAD, JOHN and W.C., each a term for a toilet or lavatory. The full tiles retain their own meanings; only the opening word or abbreviation provides the shared link.
Read this group’s word explanationsGreen The final parts are titles from the stage. Reveal group Hide group
ENDING IN MUSICALS
- ELBOW GREASE
- FAT CATS
- LINDA HAMILTON
- SOMETHING WICKED
Each entry ends with a musical title: GREASE, CATS, HAMILTON or WICKED. The title is already present as the final word, so no rearrangement or sound substitution is needed.
Read this group’s word explanationsBlue The first words identify American art institutions. Reveal group Hide group
STARTING WITH U.S. MUSEUMS
- BROAD BEAN
- GETTY IMAGES
- MET HALFWAY
- WHITNEY HOUSTON
The openings BROAD, GETTY, MET and WHITNEY identify U.S. museums: The Broad, the J. Paul Getty Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. The rest of each tile creates a different surface reading.
Read this group’s word explanationsPurple The final words are beings from myth or fantasy. Reveal group Hide group
ENDING IN FANTASY CREATURES
- DIET SPRITE
- MERV GRIFFIN
- NY GIANT
- RIVER PHOENIX
The entries end with SPRITE, GRIFFIN, GIANT and PHOENIX, all names of imaginary or mythological beings. Their use inside a product phrase, a name or a sports reference provides the misdirection.
Read this group’s word explanationsWhy these words fit
Read explanations
Full spoilers below: a closer look at every group and the wordplay behind it.
Yellow
STARTING WITH TERMS FOR "TOILET"
The entries begin with CAN, HEAD, JOHN and W.C., each a term for a toilet or lavatory. The full tiles retain their own meanings; only the opening word or abbreviation provides the shared link.
- CAN OPENER
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CAN OPENER starts with CAN, a slang term for a toilet. The kitchen tool is the surface phrase; its first word supplies this connection.
- HEAD WAITER
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HEAD WAITER starts with HEAD, a term for a toilet, especially in nautical usage. The rest of the job title is not part of the bathroom meaning.
- JOHN DENVER
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JOHN DENVER starts with JOHN, an informal term for a toilet. The complete name provides the surface reading, while only JOHN does the work in this group.
- W.C. FIELDS
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W.C. FIELDS starts with W.C., the abbreviation for WATER CLOSET. Preserve the punctuation in the official tile; the initials supply the lavatory reference.
Green
ENDING IN MUSICALS
Each entry ends with a musical title: GREASE, CATS, HAMILTON or WICKED. The title is already present as the final word, so no rearrangement or sound substitution is needed.
- ELBOW GREASE
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ELBOW GREASE ends with GREASE, the musical title. The complete phrase means effort, but its final word is what connects it to the other entries.
- FAT CATS
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FAT CATS ends with CATS, the musical title. Read the last word exactly as printed, without changing the plural to a singular.
- LINDA HAMILTON
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LINDA HAMILTON ends with HAMILTON, the musical title. The full name supplies the surface entry; its surname is the relevant final word.
- SOMETHING WICKED
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SOMETHING WICKED ends with WICKED, the musical title. Only that final word is needed to explain its membership in the set.
Blue
STARTING WITH U.S. MUSEUMS
The openings BROAD, GETTY, MET and WHITNEY identify U.S. museums: The Broad, the J. Paul Getty Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. The rest of each tile creates a different surface reading.
- BROAD BEAN
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BROAD BEAN begins with BROAD, pointing to The Broad museum. The vegetable phrase supplies the disguise; its first word provides the institution name.
- GETTY IMAGES
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GETTY IMAGES begins with GETTY, pointing to the J. Paul Getty Museum. The full tile is not a museum name; the opening word is the relevant part.
- MET HALFWAY
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MET HALFWAY begins with MET, the familiar short name used by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The complete phrase has a different ordinary reading.
- WHITNEY HOUSTON
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WHITNEY HOUSTON begins with WHITNEY, pointing to the Whitney Museum of American Art. The opening name, rather than the full personal name, supplies the connection.
Purple
ENDING IN FANTASY CREATURES
The entries end with SPRITE, GRIFFIN, GIANT and PHOENIX, all names of imaginary or mythological beings. Their use inside a product phrase, a name or a sports reference provides the misdirection.
- DIET SPRITE
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DIET SPRITE ends with SPRITE, a name for a small supernatural being. The full tile reads as a drink phrase, but only the final word belongs to the fantasy set.
- MERV GRIFFIN
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MERV GRIFFIN ends with GRIFFIN, the name of a mythical creature. The surname is the relevant word; no biographical fact about the person is required.
- NY GIANT
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NY GIANT ends with GIANT, the name for an immense imaginary being. Keep the singular form from the tile rather than changing it to a team's plural name.
- RIVER PHOENIX
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RIVER PHOENIX ends with PHOENIX, the mythical bird associated with renewal after death. The full personal name supplies the surface reading, while the last word supplies the creature.
How difficult is this puzzle?
This is a wordplay-heavy board: the relevant portion of an entry can matter more than its complete surface meaning. Some references may be unfamiliar, so checking that the same operation works across the full set is especially helpful.
More Connections answers
Frequently asked questions
Why is HEAD WAITER in the bathroom group?
HEAD is also a term for a toilet or lavatory, particularly aboard a ship. The category uses the opening word of HEAD WAITER, not the complete job title.
Which museums do the four opening words represent?
BROAD points to The Broad, GETTY to the J. Paul Getty Museum, MET to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and WHITNEY to the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Does LINDA HAMILTON need a film-related explanation?
No. The tile ends in HAMILTON, which is a musical title. Biographical or film knowledge about the person is unnecessary for this spelling-based connection.
Does NY GIANT count even though a team name is usually plural?
Yes. The official tile is NY GIANT and its final word is GIANT, a fantasy creature. Preserve the tile's singular spelling rather than rewriting the answer.
Which groups use beginnings and which use endings?
The toilet terms and museum names occur at the beginnings. The musical titles and fantasy creatures occur at the endings. Each entry uses a complete opening or final word, except the W.C. abbreviation.
Sources & further reading
Sources & further reading
- The New York Times — Connections
- ibdb.com — grease 4056
- catsthemusical.com — reference
- hamiltonmusical.com — new york
- wickedthemusical.com — reference
- merriam-webster.com — sprite
- merriam-webster.com — griffin
- merriam-webster.com — phoenix
- About The Broad
- J. Paul Getty Museum
- About The Met
- About the Whitney
- Merriam-Webster: can
- Merriam-Webster: head
- Merriam-Webster: john
- Merriam-Webster: WC