NYT Connections #1248 for November 10, 2026 has four color groups and sixteen tiles.
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Connections hints (no spoilers)
Yellow
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Loud commotion or fuss
Green
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Figures of speech and rhetorical techniques
Blue
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Historical trades and professions
Purple
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Each contains five copies of one vowel
Connections answers — November 10, 2026
Yellow Loud commotion or fuss Reveal group Hide group
HUBBUB
- BROUHAHA
- FOOFARAW
- HULLABALOO
- KERFUFFLE
Each of these words names a noisy disturbance, an uproar, or a fuss. They differ in tone and origin but share the idea of a ruckus, which is why they form a single group of synonyms.
Read this group’s word explanationsGreen Figures of speech and rhetorical techniques Reveal group Hide group
LITERARY DEVICES
- HYPERBOLE
- METONYMY
- ONOMATOPOEIA
- OXYMORON
All four are techniques of expression. HYPERBOLE exaggerates for effect, METONYMY uses an associated name in place of the thing meant, ONOMATOPOEIA forms or uses words that imitate sounds, and OXYMORON combines contradictory terms. The four techniques work differently, but each is a literary or rhetorical device.
Read this group’s word explanationsBlue Historical trades and professions Reveal group Hide group
OLD-TIMEY OCCUPATIONS
- APOTHECARY
- HABERDASHER
- SCRIVENER
- WAINWRIGHT
These are traditional occupational names. An APOTHECARY prepares and sells medicines, a HABERDASHER deals in clothing accessories or sewing supplies depending on usage, a SCRIVENER writes or copies documents, and a WAINWRIGHT builds or repairs wagons. The official category describes the old-fashioned job titles.
Read this group’s word explanationsPurple Each contains five copies of one vowel Reveal group Hide group
WORDS WITH FIVE OF ONE VOWEL
- ABRACADABRA
- BEEKEEPER
- INVISIBILITY
- PROTOZOOLOGY
Count the repeated vowel letters in the complete spellings. ABRACADABRA has five As, BEEKEEPER has five Es, INVISIBILITY has five Is, and PROTOZOOLOGY has five Os. Each repeated vowel need not be next to the others. This is a spelling count, with no shared definition or pronunciation required.
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
HUBBUB
Each of these words names a noisy disturbance, an uproar, or a fuss. They differ in tone and origin but share the idea of a ruckus, which is why they form a single group of synonyms.
- BROUHAHA
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A brouhaha is a noisy, often public uproar or fuss, frequently over something that seems minor. It fits the commotion theme directly.
- FOOFARAW
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FOOFARAW can mean fuss over a trivial matter, which supplies its HUBBUB connection. It can also mean showy ornamentation, but that decorative sense does not explain this group.
- HULLABALOO
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A hullabaloo is a loud, chaotic noise or a public outcry. It belongs with the other words for a ruckus.
- KERFUFFLE
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A kerfuffle is a minor disturbance or disagreement, often noisy. It rounds out the set of words for a fuss.
Green
LITERARY DEVICES
All four are techniques of expression. HYPERBOLE exaggerates for effect, METONYMY uses an associated name in place of the thing meant, ONOMATOPOEIA forms or uses words that imitate sounds, and OXYMORON combines contradictory terms. The four techniques work differently, but each is a literary or rhetorical device.
- HYPERBOLE
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Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis, as in saying something a million times. It is a rhetorical device, not a literal statement.
- METONYMY
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Metonymy substitutes a related term for the thing meant, such as using the crown for a monarch. It is a figure of speech based on association.
- ONOMATOPOEIA
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Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate sounds, such as buzz or hiss. It is a literary device built on sound.
- OXYMORON
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An oxymoron pairs contradictory terms, as in deafening silence. It is a compact figure of speech that creates tension between words.
Blue
OLD-TIMEY OCCUPATIONS
These are traditional occupational names. An APOTHECARY prepares and sells medicines, a HABERDASHER deals in clothing accessories or sewing supplies depending on usage, a SCRIVENER writes or copies documents, and a WAINWRIGHT builds or repairs wagons. The official category describes the old-fashioned job titles.
- APOTHECARY
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An apothecary was a historical pharmacist who prepared and sold medicines. The word names an old-timey occupation.
- HABERDASHER
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In American usage, a HABERDASHER is a dealer in men's clothing accessories. In chiefly British usage, the word refers to a dealer in sewing notions and small wares. Both are retail trades, so either sense fits the occupational category.
- SCRIVENER
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A scrivener was a professional copyist or clerk who wrote or copied documents. The term describes an old occupation.
- WAINWRIGHT
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A wainwright was a maker or repairer of wagons. The suffix wright means a craftsperson, fitting the historical occupation theme.
Purple
WORDS WITH FIVE OF ONE VOWEL
Count the repeated vowel letters in the complete spellings. ABRACADABRA has five As, BEEKEEPER has five Es, INVISIBILITY has five Is, and PROTOZOOLOGY has five Os. Each repeated vowel need not be next to the others. This is a spelling count, with no shared definition or pronunciation required.
- ABRACADABRA
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Abracadabra contains five a's, making it a match for the five-of-one-vowel pattern. Its meaning as a magic word is unrelated to the grouping.
- BEEKEEPER
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Beekeeper has five e's, which satisfies the vowel-count pattern. The word's meaning is not what links it to the others.
- INVISIBILITY
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Invisibility contains five i's, fitting the shared spelling feature. The concept of being unseen has nothing to do with the group.
- PROTOZOOLOGY
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Protozoology has five o's, completing the set of words with five of one vowel. Its scientific meaning is incidental to the pattern.
How difficult is this puzzle?
Check the meaning of each unfamiliar word before choosing a group. The literary terms describe four different techniques, and the occupational terms name different trades. For the spelling-based group, count repeated vowel letters in each complete tile.
More Connections answers
Frequently asked questions
What are the four groups in Connections #1248?
The yellow group is words for a commotion: BROUHAHA, FOOFARAW, HULLABALOO and KERFUFFLE. The green group is literary devices: HYPERBOLE, METONYMY, ONOMATOPOEIA and OXYMORON. The blue group is old-timey occupations: APOTHECARY, HABERDASHER, SCRIVENER and WAINWRIGHT. The purple group is words containing five of one vowel: ABRACADABRA, BEEKEEPER, INVISIBILITY and PROTOZOOLOGY.
Why do ABRACADABRA, BEEKEEPER, INVISIBILITY and PROTOZOOLOGY belong together?
They share a spelling pattern rather than a meaning. ABRACADABRA has five a's, BEEKEEPER has five e's, INVISIBILITY has five i's, and PROTOZOOLOGY has five o's. Each word contains five copies of a single vowel letter.
What kind of words are in the yellow group?
They are all nouns for a noisy disturbance or fuss. BROUHAHA and HULLABALOO suggest a loud public uproar, while FOOFARAW and KERFUFFLE often describe fuss over something minor. The shared idea of commotion is what unites them.
How do the green words differ from one another?
Each names a different literary or rhetorical device. HYPERBOLE is exaggeration, METONYMY substitutes a related term for the thing meant, ONOMATOPOEIA imitates sound, and OXYMORON joins contradictory terms. They are grouped by category, not by synonymy.
What makes the blue group old-timey occupations?
The category uses traditional occupational names. An apothecary prepares medicines, a scrivener writes or copies documents, and a wainwright builds or repairs wagons. A haberdasher deals in clothing accessories in American usage or sewing supplies in chiefly British usage.
Does foofaraw mean decoration or a commotion here?
The fuss sense is relevant to HUBBUB. FOOFARAW also has a showy-ornamentation sense, but that meaning does not supply the shared connection with BROUHAHA, HULLABALOO and KERFUFFLE.
Sources & further reading
Sources & further reading
- The New York Times — Connections
- American Heritage Dictionary — brouhaha
- American Heritage Dictionary — foofaraw
- American Heritage Dictionary — hullabaloo
- American Heritage Dictionary — kerfuffle
- American Heritage Dictionary — hyperbole
- American Heritage Dictionary — metonymy
- American Heritage Dictionary — onomatopoeia
- American Heritage Dictionary — oxymoron
- American Heritage Dictionary — apothecary
- American Heritage Dictionary — haberdasher
- American Heritage Dictionary — scrivener
- American Heritage Dictionary — wainwright
- American Heritage Dictionary — wright
- American Heritage Dictionary — abracadabra
- American Heritage Dictionary — beekeeper
- American Heritage Dictionary — invisibility
- American Heritage Dictionary — protozoology