NYT Connections Answer

Happy Saturday, puzzle lovers! If you’ve opened your NYT Connections grid today, you might have noticed a recurring theme. There are a lot of "walks" taking place, aren't there? From the runway to the street to the game board, today’s puzzle—number 1198—is designed to lead you down a few literal and figurative paths.

If you’re feeling a bit stuck on the answer for 2026-06-27, don’t worry. I’ve broken down the hints and categories to help you keep your streak alive without losing your cool.

Hints for Today’s Categories

Before we dive into the full solutions, here are some nudges to get your gears turning. Sometimes a small NYT Connections hint is all you need to see the pattern!

• Yellow Group: Think about what you would see at a high-end runway event in Paris or Milan.
• Green Group: These are all specific locations you might land on while trying to bankrupt your friends in a famous Hasbro game.
• Blue Group: Look closely at the physical design of these items. What do they all have in common visually?
• Purple Group: This is the "wordplay" category. Focus on the end of each word and think about how a horse moves.

Connections Group Results

Yellow: Components of a Fashion Show

Words: Catwalk, Collection, Designer, Model

This group is fairly straightforward. If you’ve ever watched Project Runway or followed Fashion Week, these are the essential ingredients. The Designer creates the Collection, which the Model wears while strutting down the Catwalk.

Green: Monopoly Squares

Words: Boardwalk, Income Tax, Short Line, Water Works

While "Boardwalk" might have tempted you to look for beach-related terms, the presence of "Income Tax" and "Short Line" (one of the four railroads) confirms we are moving around the Monopoly board. "Water Works" rounds this out as one of the two utility spaces.

Blue: Commonly Striped Things

Words: Barber Pole, Billiard Ball, Credit Card, Crosswalk

This category requires a bit of visualization. A Barber Pole has its iconic spiral stripe, Billiard Balls (specifically those numbered 9-15) are known as "stripes," a Credit Card features a magnetic stripe on the back, and a Crosswalk consists of white stripes painted on the pavement.

Purple: Ending in Horse Gaits

Words: Decanter, Envelope, Firewalk, Foxtrot

This was the tricky one today! If you look at the tail end of each word, you’ll find a specific horse gait:

• De-canter
• Enve-lope
• Fire-walk
• Fox-trot

The Big Red Herring

Today’s puzzle featured a classic "Word Ending" trap. You likely saw CATWALK, BOARDWALK, CROSSWALK, and FIREWALK. While they all end in "WALK," Wyna Liu (the editor) split them across all four categories! This is a great reminder to always look for a second or third connection before hitting "Submit."

Detailed Answer Key for 2026-06-27

If you just want the quick list to check your work, here is the final breakdown:

• Components of a Fashion Show: Catwalk, Collection, Designer, Model
• Monopoly Squares: Boardwalk, Income Tax, Short Line, Water Works
• Commonly Striped Things: Barber Pole, Billiard Ball, Credit Card, Crosswalk
• Ending in Horse Gaits: Decanter, Envelope, Firewalk, Foxtrot

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you play NYT Connections?

The goal is to find groups of four items that share something in common. Select four words and tap "Submit" to see if you're right. You have four lives; if you make four mistakes, the game ends and reveals the answers.

What do the colors mean in Connections?

The categories are color-coded by difficulty:

• Yellow: The most straightforward/easiest.
• Green: Usually involves more specific knowledge.
• Blue: Often features "abstract" connections or patterns.
• Purple: The trickiest, often involving wordplay, puns, or fill-in-the-blank clues.

When does the NYT Connections reset?

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

Are there always red herrings?

Almost always! The editors love to include words that seem to fit together (like the four "walk" words today) to force players to look for deeper connections and more specific groupings.