Connections Hints Today: Friday, October 30, 2026 (#1237)
Stuck on NYT Connections #1237 for Friday, October 30, 2026? Below are spoiler-free hints and clues for all four color groups, the red herrings to avoid, the four category names, and the full answers, each hidden until you open it.
A home-and-showbiz board: several words could fit a living room or a playhouse, and the hardest group only makes sense after a small spelling tweak.
| Puzzle | NYT Connections #1237 |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, October 30, 2026 |
| Editor | Wyna Liu |
| Difficulty | 3 out of 5 |
| Next puzzle | #1238 unlocks at midnight your local time (Saturday, October 31, 2026) |
Today’s Connections hints and clues
Each color group has three clues. Open one at a time: each gives away a little more than the last, and none of them shows the category name.
Yellow group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Think about taking a photo the old-fashioned way.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These are pieces of the device itself: what you look through, what lets in light, and what lights up the scene.
Hint 3: reveal one word
One of the words is VIEWFINDER.
Green group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Think about a night out at a play.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These are spots or features near where actors perform, from the hidden side spaces to where the orchestra sits.
Hint 3: reveal one word
One of the words is WINGS.
Blue group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Each word can follow the same everyday verb.
Hint 2: a stronger push
Put a verb that means "toss" in front of each word to make a common phrase.
Hint 3: reveal one word
One of the words is SHADE, as in a sly insult.
Purple group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
These words are one small change away from something you might pack in a lunchbox.
Hint 2: a stronger push
Swap the opening character of each word to get something that grows on a tree or vine.
Hint 3: reveal one word
One of the words is GLUM; change how it starts and you get a plum.
Today’s Connections red herrings
Words that look like they belong together but don’t. Seeing them can save you a mistake.
Show the traps
- SHUTTER, CURTAIN, DRAPE, SHADE: All four can cover a window, but there is no window-treatment group on this board.
- HANDS, WINGS: Both are body parts of a person or a bird, which tempts an anatomy group that doesn’t exist.
Today’s Connections categories
Knowing the theme is often enough to finish. These are the four category names, without the words.
Show the four categories
- Yellow: PARTS OF A CAMERA
- Green: AROUND A THEATER STAGE
- Blue: THROW ___
- Purple: FRUIT WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED
Today’s Connections answers
All 16 words sorted into their groups, with why each one fits. Spoilers inside.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow: PARTS OF A CAMERA
FLASH, LENS, SHUTTER, VIEWFINDER
Each is a part of a camera.
- FLASH — The burst of light for dark scenes.
- LENS — Focuses the image.
- SHUTTER — Opens to let light in.
- VIEWFINDER — What you look through to frame the shot.
Green: AROUND A THEATER STAGE
BACKDROP, CURTAIN, PIT, WINGS
Each is a feature found around a theater stage.
- BACKDROP — The painted scenery behind the actors.
- CURTAIN — Rises and falls at the start and end.
- PIT — Where the orchestra plays.
- WINGS — The hidden areas at the sides.
Blue: THROW ___
HANDS, PILLOW, RUG, SHADE
Each word completes a "throw ___" phrase.
- HANDS — Throw hands: start a fight.
- PILLOW — A throw pillow on a sofa.
- RUG — A throw rug on the floor.
- SHADE — Throw shade: insult someone subtly.
Purple: FRUIT WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED
DEMON, DRAPE, GLUM, GRANGE
Change the first letter and each becomes a fruit: lemon, grape, plum and orange.
- DEMON — D to L makes LEMON.
- DRAPE — D to G makes GRAPE.
- GLUM — G to P makes PLUM.
- GRANGE — G to O makes ORANGE.
Yesterday’s Connections answers (#1236)
Show the answers for Thursday, October 29, 2026
- Yellow — THINGS YOU PUT COINS INTO: PARKING METER, PAYPHONE, PIGGY BANK, WISHING WELL
- Green — ASSOCIATED WITH PENGUINS: ANTARCTICA, EMPEROR, TUXEDO, WADDLE
- Blue — ENDS OF FAMOUS FONTS: GOTHIC, ROMAN, SANS, TYPEWRITER
- Purple — THINGS THAT FEATURE THREE COLORS: CALICO, CANDY CORN, NEAPOLITAN, TRAFFIC LIGHT
Connections today: FAQ
What time does the new Connections puzzle come out?
A new NYT Connections puzzle unlocks every day at midnight in your local time zone. This page switches to the next puzzle at midnight US Eastern time, and every day’s hints stay available in our archive.
How hard is today’s Connections?
We rate Connections #1237 3 out of 5. Four words can cover a window, which muddies three groups at once.
Who edited today’s Connections puzzle?
Connections #1237 was edited by Wyna Liu for New York Times Games.
How do these Connections hints work?
Every color group gets three clues: a nudge that only points you in a direction, a stronger hint you can act on, and a final hint that names one of the four words. Red herrings, category names and the full answers stay hidden until you open them.
Where can I find yesterday’s Connections answers?
Yesterday’s puzzle was #1236 (Thursday, October 29, 2026). Its answers are in the section above, and every past puzzle is listed in our archive by date and number.
Can I play more Connections puzzles today?
The New York Times publishes one Connections puzzle a day. For more, play Connections Unlimited on our homepage: endless word-grouping puzzles in the same style, free and with no daily limit.
New to the game? Read how to play Connections, or play Connections Unlimited.