NYT Connections Answer Today (#1215) – 8 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 #1215 (published 8 Oct 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:
- AUTOCRUISE
- BEST
- CHEERS
- ECLIPSE
- FOOLHARDY
- HEEDS
- MINDS
- MULHOLLAND
- REGARDS
- RESPECTS
- STOOGES
- STRIKES
- SURPASS
- THANKS
- TOP
- WISHES
Definitions of the 16 Words
| AUTOCRUISE | A driving-assist feature that keeps a vehicle moving at a set speed without the driver touching the pedal. |
| BEST | To defeat or get the better of someone in a contest or competition. |
| CHEERS | Shouts of approval, encouragement, or celebration from a crowd. |
| ECLIPSE | To overshadow something so completely it fades from view, or the astronomical event where one body blocks another’s light. |
| FOOLHARDY | Bold to the point of recklessness, taking risks without regard for the danger involved. |
| HEEDS | Pays close attention to a warning or piece of advice and acts accordingly. |
| MINDS | Takes care to obey an instruction, rule, or warning. |
| MULHOLLAND | A winding road through the hills above Los Angeles, also the title of a surreal David Lynch film. |
| REGARDS | Views or treats something with a particular degree of esteem or consideration. |
| RESPECTS | Shows deference toward someone’s authority, wishes, or rules. |
| STOOGES | Comic sidekicks or lackeys who carry out someone else’s bidding, often for laughs. |
| STRIKES | Failed swings at a pitch in baseball, among other meanings like a labor walkout. |
| SURPASS | To go beyond a particular standard, level, or expectation. |
| THANKS | Words expressing gratitude for a favor, gift, or kindness. |
| TOP | The highest point, rank, or position of something. |
| WISHES | Hopeful desires, often made for good fortune or granted by magic. |
General Hints
- Think of verbs for obeying an instruction or a rule.
- These words all mean to beat or go beyond a rival.
- Each of these comes as a famous trio — think luck, comedy, or a baseball count.
- Look closely at the end of each word — a Hollywood leading man is hiding in there.
Category Titles
- 🟨 Yellow: Follows, as Rules
- 🟩 Green: Outdo
- 🟦 Blue: Things That Come in Threes
- 🟪 Purple: Ending in Actors Named Tom
One Word per Category
- 🟨 Yellow: MINDS
- 🟩 Green: TOP
- 🟦 Blue: WISHES
- 🟪 Purple: THANKS
Complete Solution
The full breakdown is below — tap to reveal all four groups:
[CLICK TO REVEAL: Full Solution]
NYT Connections #1215 — Full Groups
- 🟨 Yellow: Follows, as Rules → HEEDS, MINDS, REGARDS, RESPECTS
- 🟩 Green: Outdo → BEST, ECLIPSE, SURPASS, TOP
- 🟦 Blue: Things That Come in Threes → CHEERS, STOOGES, STRIKES, WISHES
- 🟪 Purple: Ending in Actors Named Tom → AUTOCRUISE, FOOLHARDY, MULHOLLAND, THANKS
The purple group is the sneakiest one today — each word hides a famous Tom’s surname at the very end (Cruise, Hardy, Holland, Hanks), so it rewards reading the words out loud rather than scanning for them.
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