Connections Hints and Answers for Tuesday, November 10, 2026 (#1248)
Stuck on NYT Connections #1248 for Tuesday, November 10, 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.
Today's board is quite wordy, featuring long, complex terms that might look intimidating at first glance. There's a strong focus on linguistics and historical roles.
| Puzzle | NYT Connections #1248 |
|---|---|
| Date | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 |
| Editor | Wyna Liu |
| Difficulty | 4 out of 5 |
| Next puzzle | #1249 unlocks at midnight your local time (Wednesday, November 11, 2026) |
Connections #1248 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
These funny-sounding words all describe a bit of a scene.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These terms are used to describe a commotion, fuss, or a noisy disturbance.
Hint 3: reveal one word
One word for a major commotion is KERFUFFLE.
Green group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Think back to your high school English or composition classes.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These are specific techniques or figures of speech used in writing and rhetoric.
Hint 3: reveal one word
The word METONYMY refers to a figure of speech in writing.
Blue group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
These terms refer to jobs you might find in a historical novel.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These are professional titles for tradespeople or clerks from bygone eras.
Hint 3: reveal one word
A person who sells men's clothing was once known as a HABERDASHER.
Purple group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Look closely at the spelling and the specific letters used in each.
Hint 2: a stronger push
Each of these long words contains a single repeating letter that appears exactly a quintet of times.
Hint 3: reveal one word
The word PROTOZOOLOGY contains exactly a quintet of the letter O.
Connections #1248 red herrings
Words that look like they belong together but don’t. Seeing them can save you a mistake.
Show the traps
- APOTHECARY, PROTOZOOLOGY, METONYMY: These words all end with a 'y' sound, which might lead one to group them based on their suffix.
- ABRACADABRA, ONOMATOPOEIA: Both words are often associated with magic or whimsical sounds, but they belong to different linguistic categories.
- HABERDASHER, BEEKEEPER, SCRIVENER: These words all share a common suffix that might tempt you to group them by their spelling.
Connections #1248 categories
Knowing the theme is often enough to finish. These are the four category names, without the words.
Show the four categories
- Yellow: HUBBUB
- Green: LITERARY DEVICES
- Blue: OLD-TIMEY OCCUPATIONS
- Purple: WORDS WITH FIVE OF ONE VOWEL
Connections #1248 answers
All 16 words sorted into their groups, with why each one fits. Spoilers inside.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow: HUBBUB
BROUHAHA, FOOFARAW, HULLABALOO, KERFUFFLE
These are all whimsical synonyms for a commotion or a noisy fuss.
- BROUHAHA — This term refers to a noisy or overexcited reaction or response to something.
- FOOFARAW — This term describes a great deal of fuss or attention given to something minor.
- HULLABALOO — This is a whimsical word for a loud noise, fuss, or public outcry.
- KERFUFFLE — This word describes a commotion or fuss, especially one caused by a disagreement.
Green: LITERARY DEVICES
HYPERBOLE, METONYMY, ONOMATOPOEIA, OXYMORON
These are formal terms for figurative language or stylistic tools used by writers to convey meaning.
- HYPERBOLE — This is a term for exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
- METONYMY — This is a figure of speech where a thing is called by the name of something associated with it.
- ONOMATOPOEIA — This is the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.
- OXYMORON — This is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.
Blue: OLD-TIMEY OCCUPATIONS
APOTHECARY, HABERDASHER, SCRIVENER, WAINWRIGHT
These are archaic or traditional names for various professional roles and trades.
- APOTHECARY — This was a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs in past centuries.
- HABERDASHER — This is a traditional dealer in men's clothing and sewing accessories.
- SCRIVENER — This was a professional clerk or scribe who could read and write for others.
- WAINWRIGHT — This was a skilled tradesperson who specialized in the making and repairing of wagons.
Purple: WORDS WITH FIVE OF ONE VOWEL
ABRACADABRA, BEEKEEPER, INVISIBILITY, PROTOZOOLOGY
Each word contains five occurrences of a single specific vowel.
- ABRACADABRA — This word contains the letter A exactly five times.
- BEEKEEPER — This word contains the letter E exactly five times.
- INVISIBILITY — This word contains the letter I exactly five times.
- PROTOZOOLOGY — This word contains the letter O exactly five times.