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NYT Connections Hints Today — Puzzle #1162

Hints and answers for the New York Times Connections puzzle of 2026-08-16 — the daily game where you sort 16 words into four hidden groups. Hints first, answers hidden until you click. This page updates every morning.

Today's hints (no spoilers)

Yellow: Four casual ways to describe a live musical performance, whether it's a stadium spectacle or a dive-bar booking
Green: Four words for someone with a stake or role in what's unfolding — on a stage, in a negotiation, or in a lawsuit
Blue: Four prefixes that reshape a family tree — tack one onto 'mother' or 'sister' and the relationship shifts
Purple: Four English descriptors for early members of our family tree — one stood tall, one was handy, one was wise, and one hails from a German valley

Today's answers (click to reveal)

Reveal the Yellow group

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: CONCERT, GIG, SET, SHOW

Reveal the Green group

PARTICIPANT: ACTOR, AGENT, PARTY, PLAYER

Reveal the Blue group

FAMILY RELATIONSHIP MODIFIERS: GRAND, GREAT, HALF, STEP

Reveal the Purple group

DESCRIPTORS FOR OUR HUMAN ANCESTORS: FROM NEANDER, HANDY, UPRIGHT, WISE

How to get better at Connections

Start by scanning for the group you're most certain about — but don't submit immediately. The puzzle always includes red-herring words that fit two categories. Purple is usually wordplay (prefixes, anagrams, hidden words) rather than meaning, so if four words seem unrelated, look at their letters instead. Yellow is the easiest group, then green, blue, and purple in rising difficulty.

Connections is published daily by the New York Times at midnight local time. This page is an unofficial fan resource with hints and answers — we are not affiliated with the NYT.

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