NYT Connections Answer

Whether you are savoring your morning coffee or taking a quick break in the afternoon, the NYT Connections puzzle is the perfect way to sharpen your mind. Today’s puzzle for August 12, 2026, offers a delightful mix of nature, television history, and clever linguistic patterns.

If you’re feeling a bit stuck on a specific group or just want to see if your hunches are correct, you’ve come to the right place. Here is the breakdown, hints, and the answer for 2026-08-12.

A Quick Hint for Today’s Game

Before we dive into the full solutions, here is a general NYT Connections hint for today: One category requires you to think about iconic characters from Must-See TV, while another asks you to look closely at the first few letters of longer words.

Yellow: Hold Onto, As a Feeling

This category focuses on verbs that describe the act of keeping a specific thought or emotion alive over a long period.

• FOSTER: To encourage the development of something (like a hope or a feeling).
• HARBOR: To keep a thought or feeling (typically a negative one) in one's mind secretly.
• MAINTAIN: To keep something at the same level or in the same state.
• NURSE: To give medical and emotional attention to something, or to hold onto a grievance.

Category Name: HOLD ONTO, AS A FEELING Words: FOSTER, HARBOR, MAINTAIN, NURSE

Green: Kinds of Frogs

Nature lovers will likely spot this one quickly. These four words are all prefixes to one of the most common amphibians in the world.

• BULL: Known for its deep, resonant croak.
• GREEN: A common North American frog often found near permanent water.
• POISON DART: Brightly colored and highly toxic frogs from Central and South America.
• TREE: Small frogs that spend the majority of their lives in vegetation.

Category Name: KINDS OF FROGS Words: BULL, GREEN, POISON DART, TREE

Blue: NBC Sitcom Surnames

This category is a treat for TV buffs. These names belong to the lead characters of some of the most famous sitcoms to ever air on NBC.

• BENES: Elaine Benes from Seinfeld.
• BING: Chandler Bing from Friends.
• LEMON: Liz Lemon from 30 Rock.
• SCOTT: Michael Scott from The Office.

Category Name: NBC SITCOM SURNAMES Words: BENES, BING, LEMON, SCOTT

Purple: Starting with Affirmative Responses

The "trick" category today involves looking at the first word or the prefix of these terms. Each one starts with a word we use to say "Yes" or "I agree."

• FINE PRINT: Starts with "Fine."
• GOODBYE: Starts with "Good."
• GREAT WHITE: Starts with "Great."
• OKAYAMA: A city in Japan that starts with "Okay."

Category Name: STARTING WITH AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSES Words: FINE PRINT, GOODBYE, GREAT WHITE, OKAYAMA

Summary of the Answer for 2026-08-12

In case you just want the quick list, here is the full solution for today's puzzle:

• Hold Onto, As a Feeling: FOSTER, HARBOR, MAINTAIN, NURSE
• Kinds of Frogs: BULL, GREEN, POISON DART, TREE
• NBC Sitcom Surnames: BENES, BING, LEMON, SCOTT
• Starting with Affirmative Responses: FINE PRINT, GOODBYE, GREAT WHITE, OKAYAMA

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you play NYT Connections?

Connections is a daily word game from The New York Times. You are given a grid of 16 words and must group them into four sets of four based on a common thread. Each group is assigned a color based on difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (hardest).

When does the NYT Connections reset?

The puzzle resets every day at midnight local time. If you are using the app, ensure your time zone settings are correct to see the latest puzzle.

Can there be more than one correct way to group the words?

While some words might seem like they fit in multiple categories, there is only one unique solution where every word fits into a group of four. This is what makes the game challenging—you often have to use the process of elimination to find the intended groupings.

What happens if I make four mistakes?

If you make four incorrect guesses, the game ends, and the correct groupings are revealed. You can try again the next day with a fresh puzzle!