NYT Connections Answer Today (#1209) – 2 Oct 2026 Solution & Hints
- About Today’s Connections
- The 16 Words
- Definitions of the 16 Words
- General Hints
- Category Titles
- One Word per Category
- Complete Solution (Click to Reveal)
About Today’s Connections
Puzzle #1209 (published October 2, 2026). Sort 16 words into four groups of four, based on a hidden connection. Some words look like they belong together and don’t — that’s by design.
The 16 Words
Here are the 16 words, sorted alphabetically to avoid spoilers:
- BACK
- BANKROLL
- COMMON
- FUND
- INDEX
- LITTLE
- MIDDLE
- NUMBER
- REAL ESTATE
- RIB
- RING
- ROUTINE
- STANDARD
- STOCK
- SUPPORT
- TIME
Definitions of the 16 Words
| BACK | To give someone your support, whether that’s encouragement or money. |
| BANKROLL | To personally cover the cost of a project or venture. |
| COMMON | Widely found or experienced; not unusual in any way. |
| FUND | A reserve of money set aside and earmarked for a specific purpose. |
| INDEX | A pointer or guide used to locate information, or the digit used for pointing. |
| LITTLE | Small in size or amount; also the name given to the smallest digit on a hand. |
| MIDDLE | The point or part that sits roughly halfway between two ends. |
| NUMBER | A figure used for counting, measuring, or labeling. |
| REAL ESTATE | Land, together with any buildings fixed to it, that can be owned or sold. |
| RIB | One of the curved bones that forms a protective cage around the chest. |
| RING | A circular band, often worn as jewelry on a finger. |
| ROUTINE | A set sequence of steps followed again and again out of habit. |
| STANDARD | A benchmark or accepted level that other things are measured against. |
| STOCK | A plain, unremarkable, off-the-shelf version of something. |
| SUPPORT | To hold up, assist, or provide for someone or something. |
| TIME | A measurable stretch during which events occur, often tracked in hours and minutes. |
General Hints
- One group is all about putting money behind a person or a cause.
- One group lives on the end of your hand — think about counting to five.
- One group describes things that are plain, expected, and totally ordinary.
- One group shares a word at the front that rhymes with “crime.”
Category Titles
- 🟨 Yellow: Finance
- 🟩 Green: Fingers
- 🟦 Blue: Customary
- 🟪 Purple: Prime ___
One Word per Category
- 🟨 Yellow: FUND
- 🟩 Green: RING
- 🟦 Blue: STANDARD
- 🟪 Purple: TIME
Complete Solution
The full breakdown is below — tap to reveal all four groups:
[CLICK TO REVEAL: Full Solution]
NYT Connections #1209 — Full Groups
- 🟨 Yellow: Finance → BACK, BANKROLL, FUND, SUPPORT
- 🟩 Green: Fingers → INDEX, LITTLE, MIDDLE, RING
- 🟦 Blue: Customary → COMMON, ROUTINE, STANDARD, STOCK
- 🟪 Purple: Prime ___ → NUMBER, REAL ESTATE, RIB, TIME
The purple group is the sneaky one today — NUMBER, REAL ESTATE, RIB, and TIME look like they belong to totally unrelated worlds until you notice they all follow the same word up front.
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