CNET, Lifehacker and NYT publish daily hints for Connections puzzles
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
CNET, Lifehacker, Mashable and the NYT published hints and answers for Connections puzzles No. 1,224 through No. 1,230.
Daily difficulty ratings and category tips explain why players seek outside help.
Background
Connections is a New York Times word puzzle in which players pick four words from a grid of 16 that share a connection, repeating four times until all words are used; categories are ranked from yellow (simplest) to purple (most difficult). The puzzle is released at midnight in each player's time zone, and the NYT publishes two Connections Companions daily, dated by Eastern Standard Time. Outlets including CNET, Lifehacker and Mashable publish daily hints and answers alongside it, which is why coverage appears every day.
How it unfolded
- Oct 16, 2026CNET publishes hints and answers for Connections No. 1,224, dated Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
- Oct 17, 2026Mashable publishes spoiler-free meanings for each word in the Oct. 17 puzzle.
- Oct 20, 2026Lifehacker publishes hints and answers for Connections #1,227.
- Oct 21, 2026CNET publishes hints and answers for No. 1,228; the article text also refers to it as No. 1,287.
- Oct 22, 2026Lifehacker and CNET both publish hints and answers for #1,229, and Mashable publishes spoiler-free meanings for the Oct. 22 puzzle.
- Oct 22, 2026The New York Times publishes the Connections Companion for No. 1,230, dated Friday, Oct. 23, 2026.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- CNET's Gael Cooper said the purple category was easy in No. 1,224, but called the purple category in No. 1,229 "a bit of a puzzle," saying knowing American football would leave those four words behind.
- Caution
- Lifehacker warned that WRAP, POODLE, BELL, MINI and PENCIL are not types of skirts in the Oct. 20 puzzle.
- Expert
- Lifehacker noted that HILT is the non-sharp thing you grab when wielding a sword, and RELIEF is a type of sculpture that looks as though it emerges from a flat surface.
- Official
- The New York Times rated the Oct. 23 puzzle's difficulty 2 out of 5, noting a player's own rating may differ.