NYT Connections #1238 for October 31, 2026 has four color groups and sixteen tiles.
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Select a color to see its clue, or use the answer section for the complete solution. Definitions and explanations follow in their own section.
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Connections hints (no spoilers)
Yellow
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Informal terms of approval that could sound like insults at first glance.
Green
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Ways a bartender might describe a martini order.
Blue
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Objects that each involve a string or strings in a different way.
Purple
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Each answer begins with a short command you might give a dog.
Connections answers — October 31, 2026
Yellow Informal terms of approval that could sound like insults at first glance. Reveal group Hide group
WORDS MEANING GOOD THAT SOUND BAD
- GNARLY
- KILLER
- SICK
- WICKED
Each word can praise something as impressive or excellent while also having a negative-sounding sense. GNARLY can mean excellent, but also difficult or unpleasant. KILLER can mean strikingly impressive, but also deadly. SICK can mean amazingly good, but also ill. WICKED can describe exceptional quality, but also evil. The group selects these approving meanings; it does not require a shared regional origin.
Read this group’s word explanationsGreen Ways a bartender might describe a martini order. Reveal group Hide group
MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS
- DIRTY
- DRY
- SHAKEN
- UP
These specifications describe different aspects of a martini order. DIRTY adds olive brine; DRY asks for a lower proportion of vermouth; SHAKEN specifies mixing with ice in a shaker; and UP specifies a chilled drink strained into a stemmed glass without serving ice. The terms concern ingredients, proportions, preparation and serving style, rather than four interchangeable recipes.
Read this group’s word explanationsBlue Objects that each involve a string or strings in a different way. Reveal group Hide group
THINGS WITH STRINGS
- GUITAR
- MARIONETTE
- TASSEL
- TENNIS RACKET
Each of these things has strings, but the strings do different jobs. A GUITAR has strings that vibrate to make musical notes. A MARIONETTE is a puppet controlled by strings from above. A TASSEL is a bunch of threads or cords gathered at one end and hanging loose. A TENNIS RACKET has a network of strings forming the hitting surface. The group works because the word string applies to all four, even though the material and function vary.
Read this group’s word explanationsPurple Each answer begins with a short command you might give a dog. Reveal group Hide group
STARTING WITH DOG COMMANDS
- DOWNFALL
- SHAKESPEARE
- SITCOM
- STAYCATION
Each of these words starts with a common dog command. DOWNFALL begins with DOWN, as in telling a dog to lie down. SHAKESPEARE begins with SHAKE, as in asking a dog to shake a paw. SITCOM begins with SIT, a basic obedience command. STAYCATION begins with STAY, another standard command. The connection is purely at the start of each word, so the rest of the word does not need to relate to dogs.
Read this group’s word explanationsWhy these words fit
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Full spoilers below: a closer look at every group and the wordplay behind it.
Yellow
WORDS MEANING GOOD THAT SOUND BAD
Each word can praise something as impressive or excellent while also having a negative-sounding sense. GNARLY can mean excellent, but also difficult or unpleasant. KILLER can mean strikingly impressive, but also deadly. SICK can mean amazingly good, but also ill. WICKED can describe exceptional quality, but also evil. The group selects these approving meanings; it does not require a shared regional origin.
- GNARLY
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GNARLY can mean cool or excellent in slang, including something impressively rugged. It can also mean gnarled, difficult or unpleasant, which gives this compliment its negative-sounding alternative.
- KILLER
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KILLER works as slang praise for something excellent, as in a killer performance. The same word also describes a person who kills or something deadly, giving it the negative ring shared by this group.
- SICK
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SICK can mean outstandingly good or impressive in slang. Its ordinary illness meaning supplies the negative-sounding alternative, so context decides whether it is praise.
- WICKED
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WICKED can describe exceptional quality, as in praise for an impressive performance. It also means evil. This approving adjective sense is different from the intensifying adverb meaning very or extremely.
Green
MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS
These specifications describe different aspects of a martini order. DIRTY adds olive brine; DRY asks for a lower proportion of vermouth; SHAKEN specifies mixing with ice in a shaker; and UP specifies a chilled drink strained into a stemmed glass without serving ice. The terms concern ingredients, proportions, preparation and serving style, rather than four interchangeable recipes.
- DIRTY
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A dirty martini includes olive brine, which adds saltiness and a cloudy look. DIRTY is a standard martini specification, not a comment on cleanliness.
- DRY
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In a martini order, DRY concerns the proportion of vermouth: a drier order uses less, while an extra-dry order uses very little. It does not mean that the finished drink contains no liquid or that it is served without ice.
- SHAKEN
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SHAKEN describes a martini mixed by shaking with ice in a cocktail shaker. It is one of the classic ways to specify how the drink is prepared.
- UP
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UP means a drink is chilled and served in a stemmed glass without ice. In a martini order it describes serving style rather than direction.
Blue
THINGS WITH STRINGS
Each of these things has strings, but the strings do different jobs. A GUITAR has strings that vibrate to make musical notes. A MARIONETTE is a puppet controlled by strings from above. A TASSEL is a bunch of threads or cords gathered at one end and hanging loose. A TENNIS RACKET has a network of strings forming the hitting surface. The group works because the word string applies to all four, even though the material and function vary.
- GUITAR
-
A guitar is a musical instrument whose strings are plucked or strummed to produce sound. The strings are the source of its notes, making it a clear member of a strings group.
- MARIONETTE
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A marionette is a puppet moved by strings attached to its limbs and controlled from above. The strings are the mechanism of control rather than a sound source.
- TASSEL
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A tassel is a hanging ornament made from threads or cords fastened together at one end. Those decorative strands supply its strings; the corn-flower meaning of tassel is not needed here.
- TENNIS RACKET
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A tennis racket has a frame filled with a tight grid of strings that forms the hitting surface. The strings are essential to how the racket strikes the ball.
Purple
STARTING WITH DOG COMMANDS
Each of these words starts with a common dog command. DOWNFALL begins with DOWN, as in telling a dog to lie down. SHAKESPEARE begins with SHAKE, as in asking a dog to shake a paw. SITCOM begins with SIT, a basic obedience command. STAYCATION begins with STAY, another standard command. The connection is purely at the start of each word, so the rest of the word does not need to relate to dogs.
- DOWNFALL
-
DOWNFALL starts with DOWN
DOWNFALL means a decline or ruin, but its first four letters spell DOWN, a common dog command meaning lie down. The group depends on that opening command, not on the word's meaning.
- SHAKESPEARE
-
SHAKESPEARE starts with SHAKE
SHAKESPEARE names the playwright, and it opens with SHAKE, a dog command often used for offering a paw. The hidden command is the link, not the literary reference.
- SITCOM
-
SITCOM starts with SIT
SITCOM is a situation comedy, and its first three letters spell SIT, a dog-training cue for taking a seated position. The link is the opening command, not the television meaning.
- STAYCATION
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STAYCATION starts with STAY
STAYCATION is a vacation spent at home or nearby. It starts with STAY, the cue for a dog to remain in position. The shared relationship is the opening letters, not a type of holiday involving dogs.
How difficult is this puzzle?
This board mixes slang, drink orders, physical objects and wordplay, so the challenge shifts as you move between groups. The yellow group depends on recognizing informal praise that sounds negative, which can be easy for slang-savvy solvers and slippery for others. The green group is a tight set of bar terms, but one member doubles as a common direction word, so it may sit unnoticed until the other three lock together. The blue group is concrete and visual, though the four items are not all alike in how their strings work. The purple group is the most wordplay-heavy, since each answer hides a short command at its start. As an editorial impression, the purple group is likely to be the last one solved, while the green group may come together quickly for anyone familiar with cocktail vocabulary.
More Connections answers
Frequently asked questions
What are the four groups in Connections #1238?
The yellow group is words meaning good that sound bad: GNARLY, KILLER, SICK and WICKED. The green group is martini specifications: DIRTY, DRY, SHAKEN and UP. The blue group is things with strings: GUITAR, MARIONETTE, TASSEL and TENNIS RACKET. The purple group is words starting with dog commands: DOWNFALL, SHAKESPEARE, SITCOM and STAYCATION.
Why do GNARLY, KILLER, SICK and WICKED belong together?
All four are informal slang terms of praise that can also sound negative. GNARLY can mean impressive but also rough or twisted, KILLER can mean excellent but also deadly, SICK can mean cool but also ill, and WICKED can mean great but also evil. The group plays on that double edge.
What does UP mean in a martini order?
UP means the drink is chilled and strained into a stemmed glass without ice in the serving glass. DIRTY specifies added olive brine, DRY concerns the proportion of vermouth, and SHAKEN specifies mixing with ice in a shaker. These describe different parts of the order.
How do DOWNFALL, SHAKESPEARE, SITCOM and STAYCATION connect?
Each word begins with a common dog command: DOWN in DOWNFALL, SHAKE in SHAKESPEARE, SIT in SITCOM, and STAY in STAYCATION. The rest of each word does not need to relate to dogs; the link is only the opening command.
Which group is likely to be hardest?
As an editorial impression, the purple group is likely to be the last solved because it depends on spotting hidden dog commands at the start of unrelated words. The green group may come together quickly for anyone familiar with cocktail terms, while the yellow and blue groups sit in between.
Sources & further reading
Sources & further reading
- The New York Times — Connections
- Merriam-Webster — gnarly
- Merriam-Webster — killer
- Merriam-Webster — sick
- Merriam-Webster — wicked
- MARTINI — martini variations and mixing terms
- The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails — mixology and up service
- Merriam-Webster — guitar
- Merriam-Webster — marionette
- Merriam-Webster — tassel
- Merriam-Webster — racket
- Can Do Canines — sit, down, stay and shake cues
- Merriam-Webster — downfall
- Merriam-Webster — sitcom
- Merriam-Webster — staycation
- Shakespeare Birthplace Trust — William Shakespeare