NYT Connections Hint and Answer for August 13, 2026

Welcome back to another daily breakdown of the NYT Connections puzzle! If you're tackling the grid for August 13, 2026, you might find yourself navigating a mix of travel perks and some rather "chilly" idioms.

Today’s puzzle, curated by Wyna Liu, offers a balanced challenge. We have some very clear synonyms on one side and a clever wordplay category on the other that requires a bit of lateral thinking.

If you’re stuck and looking for a NYT Connections hint or the full answer for 2026-08-13, you’ve come to the right place.

Hints for Today's Categories

If you want to solve the puzzle yourself but just need a little nudge, here are some thematic hints for each color-coded group:

• Yellow (Easiest): To keep moving forward despite difficulties.
• Green (Medium): To approach something very gradually or cautiously.
• Blue (Hard): The benefits you get when you fly more than the average person.
• Purple (Tricky): Every one of these words is commonly preceded by the same "temperature-based" adjective in a famous phrase.

Yellow: PERSEVERE

These words are all verbs that describe the act of pushing through a challenge or simply staying the course.

• CARRY ON
• CONTINUE
• MAKE IT
• PERSIST

Explanation: This is the most straightforward group today. All four words are synonymous with endurance and not giving up.

Green: MOVE SLOWLY (UP TO)

This category focuses on verbs that describe movement in small, deliberate increments.

• CREEP
• EASE
• EDGE
• INCH

Explanation: If you are "inching" toward a goal or "edging" closer to a ledge, you are moving slowly. "Ease" fits here in the context of "easing up to" a stop or a person.

Blue: AIRLINE STATUS PERKS

Frequent flyers will recognize these terms immediately. These are the rewards for loyalty to a specific carrier.

• CHECKED BAGS
• LOUNGE
• MILES
• UPGRADE

Explanation: When you reach "Gold" or "Platinum" status on an airline, you usually get free Checked Bags, access to the airport Lounge, bonus Miles, and the occasional First Class Upgrade.

Purple: "COLD" THINGS, IN IDIOMS

This is the classic Connections "fill-in-the-blank" or "hidden connection" category. Each of these words completes a common idiom starting with the word "Cold."

• COMFORT
• FEET
• SHOULDER
• TURKEY

Explanation:

• Cold Comfort: A slight consolation that doesn't actually help.
• Cold Feet: Getting nervous before a big event.
• Cold Shoulder: To intentionally ignore or snub someone.
• Cold Turkey: To quit a habit abruptly rather than tapering off.

The Full Solution for 2026-08-13

If you just want to see the grid results, here is the final breakdown for today:

• PERSEVERE: CARRY ON, CONTINUE, MAKE IT, PERSIST
• MOVE SLOWLY (UP TO): CREEP, EASE, EDGE, INCH
• AIRLINE STATUS PERKS: CHECKED BAGS, LOUNGE, MILES, UPGRADE
• "COLD" THINGS, IN IDIOMS: COMFORT, FEET, SHOULDER, TURKEY

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is a daily word game published by The New York Times. Players are presented with a 16-word grid and must group the words into four sets of four based on a common theme or category.

How do the difficulty levels work?

The game uses a color-coded system to indicate difficulty:

• Yellow: Most straightforward/direct.
• Green: Common verbs or nouns.
• Blue: Specialized knowledge or specific themes.
• Purple: Wordplay, puns, or fill-in-the-blank associations.

When does the NYT Connections reset?

New puzzles are released daily at midnight in your local time zone.

Can I play past NYT Connections puzzles?

While the official NYT site focuses on the daily puzzle, there are several fan-made archives online where you can play previous games. You can also access recent puzzles if you have a New York Times Games subscription.