NYT Connections Answer

Welcome to another day of wordplay! If you’re here, you might be scratching your head over today’s selection, or perhaps you just want to see if your logic matched the editor's. Today’s puzzle, curated by Wyna Liu, offers a satisfying mix of synonyms and clever word associations.

Whether you're looking for a small nudge or the full solution, here is everything you need for the NYT Connections hint and the answer for 2026-08-26.

What to Expect Today

Today’s grid feels relatively balanced. We have a straightforward group of synonyms, some "ta-da" moments, and a slightly tricky category involving abbreviations. If you find yourself stuck, try to look for words that can follow a common prefix—that’s usually where the Purple category hides!

Group Hints & Solutions

Yellow: "THERE YOU HAVE IT!"

These are words you might exclaim when revealing something exciting or finishing a task with a flourish. Think of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

• Hint: Words used during a big reveal.
• The Words: BEHOLD, PRESTO, SHAZAM, VOILÀ

Green: KNACK

This category focuses on things you are naturally good at. If you have a particular skill that comes easily to you, you might use one of these words to describe it.

• Hint: Synonyms for a natural ability or skill.
• The Words: FORTE, GIFT, STRENGTH, TALENT

Blue: WHAT "P" MIGHT STAND FOR

This group is a bit more abstract. Each of these words represents a context where the single letter "P" is used as an abbreviation or symbol.

• Hint: Think about chemistry, music, driving, and books.
• The Words: PAGE (p.), PARK (P), PHOSPHORUS (P), PIANO (p)
• Explanation: In music notation, p stands for "piano" (softly); in driving, P is for "Park"; in science, P is the symbol for Phosphorus; and in citations, p. stands for "page."

Purple: KEY ___

The trickiest of the bunch! These four words don't seem to have much in common until you place a specific word in front of them to create a well-known phrase.

• Hint: What do you find on a ring, in a pie, or in a musical score?
• The Words: CHAIN, LARGO, LIME, SIGNATURE
• Explanation: These are all terms that follow the word "Key": Key chain, Key Largo, Key lime, and Key signature.

Final Answer for 2026-08-26

• "THERE YOU HAVE IT!": BEHOLD, PRESTO, SHAZAM, VOILÀ
• KNACK: FORTE, GIFT, STRENGTH, TALENT
• WHAT "P" MIGHT STAND FOR: PAGE, PARK, PHOSPHORUS, PIANO
• KEY ___: CHAIN, LARGO, LIME, SIGNATURE

Puzzle Breakdown

Today's "aha!" moment for many will be the Blue category. Realizing that "Piano" and "Page" both use the lowercase "p" while "Park" and "Phosphorus" use the uppercase "P" is a classic Connections move.

The Purple category, "Key ___," was also a fun one. Key Largo (the island in Florida) and Key Lime (the delicious pie) are common pairings, while Key Signature (music) and Key Chain (everyday object) rounded it out perfectly.

I hope this helped you keep your streak alive! Check back tomorrow for more hints and solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you play NYT Connections?

In Connections, you are presented with a 4x4 grid of 16 words. Your goal is to group them into four sets of four by finding a common thread between them. Categories are color-coded by difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (hardest).

When does the new NYT Connections puzzle come out?

New puzzles are released daily at midnight in your local time zone via the New York Times Games app and website.

Can there be more than one right answer?

While some words might seem to fit in multiple categories, there is only one unique solution that organizes all 16 words into four distinct groups.

What happens if I make four mistakes?

If you use up all four of your allowed mistakes, the game ends and the remaining categories are revealed to you.