Connections archive · Puzzle #1164

NYT Connections Hints & Answers — August 18, 2026 (#1164)

Group hints and answers for the NYT Connections puzzle on . Get a spoiler-free nudge for each group, or reveal the full solution — your call.

Difficulty: Hard

Spoiler control

Choose how much to reveal

Reveal one step at a time — nudges first, full answers only if you ask.

1. Group nudges spoiler-free
  • Yellow: What you'd spot outside a big Hollywood opening night.
  • Green: Four phrases that all shorten to the same two letters.
  • Blue: Objects and animals that share a bright fruit-colored hue.
  • Purple: Rough texture, rough genre, rough brew — and one Philly mascot.
2. One word from each group a foothold
  • Yellow: LIMOUSINE
  • Green: PETROLEUM JELLY
  • Blue: BASKETBALL
  • Purple: COWBOY COFFEE
3. The four category names no words yet
  • Yellow: SEEN AT A MOVIE PREMIERE
  • Green: PJS
  • Blue: THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE
  • Purple: THINGS THAT ARE GRITTY
4. Reveal groups one by one
Yellow group

SEEN AT A MOVIE PREMIERE

  • LIMOUSINE
  • PAPARAZZI
  • RED CARPET
  • VELVET ROPE
Green group

PJS

  • PETROLEUM JELLY
  • POETIC JUSTICE
  • PRACTICAL JOKE
  • PRIVATE JET
Blue group

THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE

  • BASKETBALL
  • ORANGUTAN
  • SWEET POTATO
  • TRAFFIC CONE
Purple group

THINGS THAT ARE GRITTY

  • COWBOY COFFEE
  • FILM NOIR
  • FLYERS MASCOT
  • SANDPAPER
5. Reveal everything full spoilers

Yellow — SEEN AT A MOVIE PREMIERE

  • LIMOUSINE
  • PAPARAZZI
  • RED CARPET
  • VELVET ROPE

Green — PJS

  • PETROLEUM JELLY
  • POETIC JUSTICE
  • PRACTICAL JOKE
  • PRIVATE JET

Blue — THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE

  • BASKETBALL
  • ORANGUTAN
  • SWEET POTATO
  • TRAFFIC CONE

Purple — THINGS THAT ARE GRITTY

  • COWBOY COFFEE
  • FILM NOIR
  • FLYERS MASCOT
  • SANDPAPER

Today's puzzle, in a nutshell

Premiere yellow is clean. Purple is the trap — four different senses of 'gritty,' including a hockey mascot.

NYT Connections #1164 — quick answers

What are today's Connections categories?

SEEN AT A MOVIE PREMIERE; PJS; THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE; THINGS THAT ARE GRITTY.

What are all the answers?
  • SEEN AT A MOVIE PREMIERE: LIMOUSINE, PAPARAZZI, RED CARPET, VELVET ROPE
  • PJS: PETROLEUM JELLY, POETIC JUSTICE, PRACTICAL JOKE, PRIVATE JET
  • THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE: BASKETBALL, ORANGUTAN, SWEET POTATO, TRAFFIC CONE
  • THINGS THAT ARE GRITTY: COWBOY COFFEE, FILM NOIR, FLYERS MASCOT, SANDPAPER

Also for: Connections hints 8/18/26, 8-18-26, 8 18 26, 8/18/2026, and puzzle #1164.

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