NYT Connections Answer

NYT Connections Hint & Answer for April 3, 2026

Hello, fellow wordplay enthusiasts! Happy Friday. If you’re like me, you probably started your morning with a cup of coffee and a determination to beat Wyna Liu’s latest grid. Today's puzzle offers a great mix of synonyms, slang, and a classic "blank-a-word" category that kept me on my toes.

Whether you are looking for a gentle NYT Connections hint or the full answer for 2026-04-03, I’ve got you covered. Let’s break down the groups and see how they fit together.

Hints for Today's Groups

If you’re just looking for a little nudge to keep your streak alive, here are some clues to get those gears turning:

• Yellow Group: This category is all about that "mean girl" energy—words used to describe someone being a bit spiteful or unkind in a minor way.
• Green Group: These words are all about a deep, intense craving or desire for something.
• Blue Group: Think about what you might find behind a bar. These are specific types of vessels used for serving drinks.
• Purple Group: These words all share a common second half. Think of phrases related to managing or directing a situation.

Yellow: CATTY

These adjectives describe behavior that is ungenerous, spiteful, or unnecessarily critical. It’s that feeling when someone is being "a bit much" over something small.

• MEAN
• PETTY
• SMALL
• SNIDE

Green: HANKER (FOR)

This group is all about longing. While "LONG," "LUST," and "THIRST" are common ways to describe wanting something, "JONES" is a great piece of slang. To "jones" for something means to have a strong craving, often used originally in the context of caffeine or sugar.

• JONES
• LONG
• LUST
• THIRST

Blue: COCKTAIL GLASSES

If you enjoy mixology, this group likely clicked for you immediately. These aren't just names of drinks; they are the specific names of the glassware they are served in. A Collins glass is tall and skinny, a Hurricane glass has that distinct curvy shape, and a Zombie glass is another variation of a tall, straight-sided tumbler.

• COLLINS
• HURRICANE
• ROCKS
• ZOMBIE

Purple: ___ CONTROL

The dreaded (or beloved) purple category! Today’s theme is "words that precede 'control'." These are common compound terms or phrases we use in everyday life, from driving a car to managing a PR crisis.

• CRUISE (Cruise control)
• DAMAGE (Damage control)
• GROUND (Ground control)
• MISSION (Mission control)

Summary for 2026-04-03

If you just want the quick list, here is the final answer for 2026-04-03:

• CATTY: MEAN, PETTY, SMALL, SNIDE
• HANKER (FOR): JONES, LONG, LUST, THIRST
• COCKTAIL GLASSES: COLLINS, HURRICANE, ROCKS, ZOMBIE
• ___ CONTROL: CRUISE, DAMAGE, GROUND, MISSION

Today's puzzle was a fun ride! The "HANKER" category was the trickiest for me because "THIRST" and "LUST" often appear in different contexts, but once I realized "JONES" had no other home, the desire-based theme became clear.

How did you do today? Did the cocktail glassware throw you for a loop?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NYT Connections?

Connections is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times where players must find groups of four words that share a common thread. Each puzzle has 16 words, divided into four categories of increasing difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (hardest).

How do I play NYT Connections?

You select four words that you believe belong to a category and click "Submit." You have four lives (mistakes) before the game ends and reveals the answers to you.

When does the NYT Connections puzzle reset?

A new puzzle is released every day at midnight in your local time zone via the New York Times Games app and website.

What are the color difficulties in Connections?

• Yellow: Straightforward associations or synonyms.
• Green: Common themes or slightly more complex synonyms.
• Blue: Specific knowledge (like film, science, or music) or wordplay.
• Purple: The most abstract category, often involving word structures, homophones, or "fill-in-the-blank" clues.