This guide covers NYT Connections #1220 for October 13, 2026. Open a clue below when you need a nudge.
Check each proposed quartet against one precise relationship before committing. A promising pair is only a starting point.
Open the hints at your own pace. Stop when you have enough help, or reveal the answer panels when you are ready for the full explanations.
Playing The Athletic's sports puzzle? Sports Edition hints and explanations.
Connections hints (no spoilers)
Yellow
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An instinct for quality or suitability.
Green
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Secure something so it cannot move away.
Blue
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Wearable or displayable rewards for winning.
Purple
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The same five-letter adjective goes in front.
Connections answers — October 13, 2026
Yellow An instinct for quality or suitability. Reveal group Hide group
DISCERNMENT
- EYE
- FLAIR
- SENSE
- TASTE
These words can express discernment or an aptitude for judging something well. The connection uses figurative evaluative senses, rather than only physical perception or the ordinary names of body functions.
Read this group’s word explanationsGreen Secure something so it cannot move away. Reveal group Hide group
FASTEN
- HITCH
- LASH
- TETHER
- TIE
These verbs describe fastening or securing something. Rope-related uses are especially natural for several entries, but the shared idea is attaching something firmly rather than naming a particular knot.
Read this group’s word explanationsBlue Wearable or displayable rewards for winning. Reveal group Hide group
SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZES
- BELT
- CUP
- JACKET
- RING
These objects can be awarded to sports champions. A championship belt, a trophy cup, a winner's jacket, and a championship ring supply familiar examples; they are prizes rather than scores or playing equipment.
Read this group’s word explanationsPurple The same five-letter adjective goes in front. Reveal group Hide group
LOOSE ___
- CANNON
- CHANGE
- ENDS
- LIPS
Add LOOSE before each tile: loose cannon, loose change, loose ends, and loose lips. The phrases have different meanings, so the common leading word is the rule that holds the quartet together.
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
DISCERNMENT
These words can express discernment or an aptitude for judging something well. The connection uses figurative evaluative senses, rather than only physical perception or the ordinary names of body functions.
- EYE
-
An EYE for something is an ability to notice or judge it well. That figurative evaluative sense connects the tile to discernment.
- FLAIR
-
FLAIR is a natural aptitude or instinctive ability. Here it fits a talent for recognizing or choosing what works, rather than decoration alone.
- SENSE
-
SENSE can mean sound judgment or an instinctive understanding. The tile points to discernment rather than only one of the physical senses.
- TASTE
-
TASTE can mean the ability to judge aesthetic quality or suitability. This evaluative meaning matters rather than the flavor detected while eating.
Green
FASTEN
These verbs describe fastening or securing something. Rope-related uses are especially natural for several entries, but the shared idea is attaching something firmly rather than naming a particular knot.
- HITCH
-
To HITCH something is to attach or fasten it, often with a rope or another connection. This is a securing action rather than a delay or problem.
- LASH
-
To LASH something is to fasten it securely with a rope or cord. The fastening sense is relevant, rather than striking with a whip.
- TETHER
-
To TETHER something is to secure it with a line or other restraint. The connection prevents it from moving freely away.
- TIE
-
To TIE something is to fasten or secure it, often with a cord or knot. This verbal sense belongs with the other attaching actions.
Blue
SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZES
These objects can be awarded to sports champions. A championship belt, a trophy cup, a winner's jacket, and a championship ring supply familiar examples; they are prizes rather than scores or playing equipment.
- BELT
-
A BELT can be awarded to a champion in a combat sport such as boxing. It represents the championship rather than ordinary clothing support.
- CUP
-
A CUP can be a trophy awarded to a winning competitor or team. The prize sense connects it to the other objects a sports champion may receive.
- JACKET
-
A JACKET can be a championship prize, with the Masters green jacket providing a familiar golfing example. The object is a winner's reward in this group.
- RING
-
A RING can commemorate a sports championship. Its role as a winner's prize connects it to the belt, cup, and jacket rather than to a contest venue.
Purple
LOOSE ___
Add LOOSE before each tile: loose cannon, loose change, loose ends, and loose lips. The phrases have different meanings, so the common leading word is the rule that holds the quartet together.
- CANNON
-
A LOOSE CANNON is a person whose unpredictable behavior can cause trouble. Adding LOOSE before CANNON gives the familiar expression.
- CHANGE
-
LOOSE CHANGE means coins, especially small amounts carried without being bundled together. The phrase uses the same added leading word.
- ENDS
-
LOOSE ENDS are unfinished details or unresolved matters. Putting LOOSE before ENDS supplies the expression rather than a physical attachment.
- LIPS
-
LOOSE LIPS refers to indiscreet or careless speech. LOOSE before LIPS completes the phrase-building pattern shared by all four tiles.
How difficult is this puzzle?
Our editorial take is that the concrete prize objects are easier to recognize than the more abstract yellow relationship. The phrase-building group offers another route forward, provided you test the same added word against each of its four tiles.
More Connections answers
Frequently asked questions
What is the shared word in the purple group?
LOOSE comes before CANNON, CHANGE, ENDS, and LIPS to form four familiar expressions. The tiles themselves do not have to be synonyms.
Why does JACKET fit the championship-prize group?
A jacket can be awarded to a sports winner; the Masters green jacket is a familiar example. The relationship concerns the prize object rather than the clothing category alone.
What does LASH mean in the green group?
LASH means to fasten something securely with rope or cord. Its striking or whipping sense is not the connection used by the fastening group.
How do EYE and TASTE express discernment?
An eye for something is an ability to recognize it well, while taste can mean aesthetic judgment. Those figurative readings connect them to FLAIR and SENSE.
Sources & further reading
Sources & further reading
- The New York Times — Connections
- Merriam-Webster: flair
- 2019 Masters Media Guide, Green Jacket section