Connections Hints and Answers for Wednesday, November 11, 2026 (#1249)
Stuck on NYT Connections #1249 for Wednesday, November 11, 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 features a mix of natural wellness and outdoor recreation. Watch out for words that seem to describe physical states but actually fit into more technical categories.
| Puzzle | NYT Connections #1249 |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday, November 11, 2026 |
| Editor | Wyna Liu |
| Difficulty | 3 out of 5 |
| Next puzzle | #1250 unlocks at midnight your local time (Thursday, November 12, 2026) |
Connections #1249 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 different approaches to healthcare or healing.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These terms describe systems of treatment that often sit outside modern clinical settings or rely on custom.
Hint 3: reveal one word
One of these is the term TRADITIONAL, which refers to long-standing healing practices.
Green group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Imagine you are spending a day out on the links.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These are specific areas or features you would encounter while playing a round of eighteen holes.
Hint 3: reveal one word
The term GREEN represents the smooth area where players aim for the hole.
Blue group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Consider items that require inflation to function properly or exist.
Hint 2: a stronger push
These objects rely on being pumped up or blown up to serve their purpose or maintain their shape.
Hint 3: reveal one word
A BUBBLE is a thin sphere of liquid trapped around a pocket of oxygen.
Purple group hints
Hint 1: a gentle nudge
Look closely at the final few letters of these four words.
Hint 2: a stronger push
Each of these words concludes with a sequence of letters that reads the same forward and backward.
Hint 3: reveal one word
The word AFTERNOON ends with a three-letter sequence that is the same in reverse.
Connections #1249 red herrings
Words that look like they belong together but don’t. Seeing them can save you a mistake.
Show the traps
- GREEN, HERBAL, HOLISTIC: While these words might suggest a theme of plants or natural living, they belong to different groups.
- TIRE, ROUGH: You might think these describe a lack of energy or being worn out, but they are used differently here.
- TRADITIONAL, AFTERNOON: These words both relate to time or history but do not share a category.
Connections #1249 categories
Knowing the theme is often enough to finish. These are the four category names, without the words.
Show the four categories
- Yellow: KINDS OF MEDICINE
- Green: PARTS OF A GOLF COURSE
- Blue: THINGS FILLED WITH AIR
- Purple: ENDING IN PALINDROMES
Connections #1249 answers
All 16 words sorted into their groups, with why each one fits. Spoilers inside.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow: KINDS OF MEDICINE
FOLK, HERBAL, HOLISTIC, TRADITIONAL
These are all types of healing practices or remedies.
- FOLK — Refers to traditional home remedies passed down through generations.
- HERBAL — Remedies derived from plants and botanical sources.
- HOLISTIC — An approach treating the whole person rather than just symptoms.
- TRADITIONAL — Long-standing cultural practices used for healing.
Green: PARTS OF A GOLF COURSE
GREEN, ROUGH, SAND TRAP, TEE BOX
These are all distinct areas found on a standard links layout.
- GREEN — The smooth, closely mown area surrounding the hole.
- ROUGH — The area of longer grass bordering the fairway.
- SAND TRAP — A hazard consisting of a hollow filled with sand.
- TEE BOX — The designated starting area for each hole.
Blue: THINGS FILLED WITH AIR
AIR MATTRESS, BUBBLE, TIRE, WHOOPIE CUSHION
These are all things that are inflatable or naturally contain gas.
- AIR MATTRESS — An inflatable bed used for camping or guests.
- BUBBLE — A pocket of gas trapped inside a liquid or solid.
- TIRE — The rubber component of a wheel that must be pressurized.
- WHOOPIE CUSHION — A prank device that releases air to make a sound.
Purple: ENDING IN PALINDROMES
AFTERNOON, PATOOT, RHEOSTATS, SHREDDER
Each word ends with a sequence of letters that is spelled the same way backwards.
- AFTERNOON — This word ends with NOON, which is spelled the same backward.
- PATOOT — This word ends with TOOT, which is spelled the same backward.
- RHEOSTATS — This word ends with STATS, which is spelled the same backward.
- SHREDDER — This word ends with REDDER, which is spelled the same backward.