Looking for today’s NYT Connections hints and answers? The New York Times Connections puzzle for Friday, September 18, 2026, is game #1195. The daily word puzzle gives players 16 words and asks them to divide them into four groups of four based on a shared connection.
Today’s puzzle includes groups connected to stages of a process, food and drink assortments, parts of a flight, and words that can precede “case.” Some entries are deliberately misleading, so identifying the precise connection is important. Spoiler warning: The complete NYT Connections answers appear below.
NYT Connections Hints for September 18
Want to solve the puzzle yourself first? These NYT Connections hints can help without immediately revealing every anT swer:
- Yellow: Think about different stages or parts of a process.
- Green: These words can describe selections or assortments of food and drinks.
- Blue: Think about what happens during an air journey.
- Purple: Add the same word after each answer to create a familiar term.
The hints correspond to the four official categories for Connections #1195.
Today’s NYT Connections Answers
Ready for the complete solution? Here are today’s four categories and their answers.
Yellow: SEGMENT OF A PROCESS
PHASE, ROUND, STAGE, STEP
Each word can describe a distinct part or period within a larger process. A phase, stage or step can mark progress, while a round can represent one part of a repeated process.
This is one of the more direct categories in today’s NYT Connections puzzle.
Green: ASSORTMENTS OF FOOD OR DRINK
FLIGHT, MEDLEY, PLATTER, SAMPLER
These words can describe collections or selections of food and beverages. A flight may contain several small drinks or samples, while a platter or sampler can contain multiple food items. A medley similarly refers to a mixture or assortment.
Blue: PARTS OF A FLIGHT
BOARDING, CRUISE, LANDING, TAKEOFF
These four words describe stages or events associated with air travel. Passengers board before departure, the aircraft takes off, cruises during the main portion of the journey and eventually lands.
The word FLIGHT itself is a useful trap because it belongs in the food-and-drink category rather than this group.
Purple: ___ CASE
BRIEF, PILLOW, STAIR, UPPER
Add CASE after each word to create familiar terms: briefcase, pillowcase, staircase and uppercase.
This is the most wordplay-heavy group and can be difficult to spot until you recognize the shared second word.
How to Solve NYT Connections Today
A useful NYT Connections strategy is to search for the most specific relationship rather than grouping words simply because they appear related.
Start by identifying four words with an unmistakable connection. Once you submit that group, remove those entries and reassess the remaining words. Pay close attention to words that can have multiple meanings because they are often used as distractions.
Today’s puzzle is a good example. FLIGHT can describe a group of drinks but can also make you think about air travel. Recognizing that overlap helps prevent an incorrect guess.
Remember that the game allows four incorrect guesses, so test each category carefully before submitting.
Conclusion
Today’s NYT Connections #1195 combines straightforward word relationships with misleading entries and phrase-based wordplay. The process, food-and-drink, flight and “___ case” groups each require a different way of looking at the 16-word grid.
If you were stuck on today’s puzzle, these NYT Connections hints and answers for September 18, 2026 should help explain how all four groups fit together. Check back tomorrow for the latest Connections clues, categories and solutions.
