Need help solving today’s NYT Connections puzzle? The October 15 challenge asks players to sort 16 words into four groups based on shared meanings, phrases, or spelling patterns. While some connections are easy to spot, others can lead to misleading guesses. Today’s puzzle combines food preservation, sports scoring, words describing the lowest part of something, and a tricky geography-based wordplay category.
This guide covers the NYT Connections hints and answers for October 15, 2026, including the complete word list, category clues, solutions, and tips for tackling future puzzles. Today’s edition is puzzle #1222.
NYT Connections Hints for October 15, 2026
Try these clues before revealing the full answers. Each hint points towards one of the four hidden categories.
- Yellow: Methods used to keep food fresh for longer.
- Green: Achievements that earn points in different sports.
- Blue: Words describing the lowest or supporting part of something.
- Purple: Change one letter in each word to reveal a low landform.
The first two groups may be easier to identify through everyday knowledge. The final category requires closer attention to spelling, so avoid grouping words based on their original meanings alone.
Today’s NYT Connections Words
Here are all 16 words from the October 15 puzzle:
SMOKE, BASKET, DRY, FOOT, VOLLEY, CANNON, RUN, PICKLE, BASE, GOAL, FORGE, FOUNDATION, CURE, RACINE, BOTTOM, TOUCHDOWN
Look for four sets of four words. Some terms could fit more than one theme at first glance, so consider how each word relates to the others before submitting a group.
NYT Connections Answers for October 15, 2026
Spoiler alert: The complete solutions for puzzle #1222 appear below.
| Color | Category | Answers |
| Yellow | Ways to preserve food | CURE, DRY, PICKLE, SMOKE |
| Green | Things you can score in sports | BASKET, GOAL, RUN, TOUCHDOWN |
| Blue | Lowest part | BASE, BOTTOM, FOOT, FOUNDATION |
| Purple | Low landforms with a letter changed | CANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEY |
These are the four confirmed groups for today’s NYT Connections puzzle.
Yellow: Ways to Preserve Food
CURE, DRY, PICKLE, SMOKE
These words describe techniques used to preserve food. Curing often involves salt, drying removes moisture, pickling uses an acidic liquid or brine, and smoking exposes food to smoke.
Green: Things You Can Score in Sports
BASKET, GOAL, RUN, TOUCHDOWN
Each word represents a scoring result in sports. Basketball players score baskets, soccer players score goals, baseball teams earn runs, and American football teams score touchdowns.
Blue: Lowest Part
BASE, BOTTOM, FOOT, FOUNDATION
All four words can describe the lowest part of an object or structure. A base supports something above it, a bottom marks its lower section, a foot can refer to the bottom of an object, and a foundation supports a building.
Purple: Low Landforms With a Letter Changed
CANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEY
This is the puzzle’s trickiest group. Change one letter in each word to reveal a geographical feature: CANNON becomes CANYON, FORGE becomes GORGE, RACINE becomes RAVINE, and VOLLEY becomes VALLEY. Each resulting word describes a type of landform.
Tips to Solve NYT Connections Puzzles
Start with the clearest connection rather than guessing based on two or three similar words. Check whether a word could belong to another category, especially when it has multiple meanings. If you cannot find a fourth word, use the shuffle option to spot new patterns.
For the purple category, think beyond definitions and look for changes in spelling, familiar phrases, or hidden words. Saving your guesses for groups with strong connections can also help you avoid using all four mistakes.
Keep Your NYT Connections Streak Going
Today’s puzzle rewards both general knowledge and careful observation. Food preservation and sports scoring provide accessible starting points, while the final categories require more precise thinking.
Use these daily NYT Connections hints and answers to review your strategy, recognise wordplay, and prepare for tomorrow’s challenge.
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