Connections archive · Puzzle #1171

NYT Connections Hints & Answers — August 25, 2026 (#1171)

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: Words for something that stays on the outside.
  • Green: Fictional physics from space opera.
  • Blue: King novels that hit theaters — each title starts with “The.”
  • Purple: The last word is something you’d order at a scoop shop.
2. One word from each group a foothold
  • Yellow: COSMETIC
  • Green: HYPERSPACE
  • Blue: GREEN MILE
  • Purple: HARLEM SHAKE
3. The four category names no words yet
  • Yellow: SURFACE-LEVEL
  • Green: SCI-FI PHENOMENA
  • Blue: STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH "THE"
  • Purple: ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS
4. Reveal groups one by one
Yellow group

SURFACE-LEVEL

  • COSMETIC
  • ONE-DIMENSIONAL
  • SKIN-DEEP
  • SUPERFICIAL
Green group

SCI-FI PHENOMENA

  • HYPERSPACE
  • PARALLEL UNIVERSE
  • TELEPORTATION
  • TIME WARP
Blue group

STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH "THE"

  • GREEN MILE
  • LONG WALK
  • RUNNING MAN
  • SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
Purple group

ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS

  • HARLEM SHAKE
  • INSIDE SCOOP
  • LICKETY-SPLIT
  • TRAFFIC CONE
5. Reveal everything full spoilers

Yellow — SURFACE-LEVEL

  • COSMETIC
  • ONE-DIMENSIONAL
  • SKIN-DEEP
  • SUPERFICIAL

Green — SCI-FI PHENOMENA

  • HYPERSPACE
  • PARALLEL UNIVERSE
  • TELEPORTATION
  • TIME WARP

Blue — STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH "THE"

  • GREEN MILE
  • LONG WALK
  • RUNNING MAN
  • SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

Purple — ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS

  • HARLEM SHAKE
  • INSIDE SCOOP
  • LICKETY-SPLIT
  • TRAFFIC CONE

Today's puzzle, in a nutshell

Surface-level is clean. Sci-fi and King titles compete for attention; purple hides shake, scoop, split, and cone.

NYT Connections #1171 — quick answers

What are today's Connections categories?

SURFACE-LEVEL; SCI-FI PHENOMENA; STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH "THE"; ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS.

What are all the answers?
  • SURFACE-LEVEL: COSMETIC, ONE-DIMENSIONAL, SKIN-DEEP, SUPERFICIAL
  • SCI-FI PHENOMENA: HYPERSPACE, PARALLEL UNIVERSE, TELEPORTATION, TIME WARP
  • STEPHEN KING FILM ADAPTATIONS, WITH "THE": GREEN MILE, LONG WALK, RUNNING MAN, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
  • ENDING IN ICE CREAM ORDERS: HARLEM SHAKE, INSIDE SCOOP, LICKETY-SPLIT, TRAFFIC CONE

Also for: Connections hints 8/25/26, 8-25-26, 8 25 26, 8/25/2026, and puzzle #1171.

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