The Tuesday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #1136, serving up a grid that rewards familiarity with clothing, computer terminology, stagecraft, and a crisp prefix trick.
What Makes Connections Tick
For newcomers, NYT Connections presents 16 words that must be sorted into four thematic groups of four. The twist? You're limited to four mistakes, and the color-coded difficulty system (yellow being easiest, purple being trickiest) means surface-level connections often mislead.
Since its June 2023 launch, Connections has carved out its niche in the Times' puzzle ecosystem, standing alongside Wordle and the crossword as a daily ritual for millions of players worldwide. The game's genius lies in its red herrings, words that could fit multiple categories but belong in only one.
Today's Grid at a Glance
Here are the 16 words staring back at you in puzzle #1136:
MUSIC | GRAM | DRIVER | VISION
TUBE | CROP | BOOK | APP
ORCHESTRATION | EXTENSION | TANK | KINESIS
PROMPTER | HALTER | LYRICS | PLUGIN
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about garments defined by what happens above the waist.
Green Category Clue: Consider the different things you might add to a computer or browser.
Blue Category Hint: Look behind the curtain at the distinct creative ingredients of a stage production.
Purple Category Teaser: Each entry becomes a familiar word when the same opening fragment is attached.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Kinds Of Tops): CROP, HALTER, TANK, TUBE
CROP, HALTER, TANK, and TUBE are all kinds of tops.
TUBE is the useful distraction here because it can evoke television, pulling attention toward VISION and the prefix-based group.
Green (Software Downloads): APP, DRIVER, EXTENSION, PLUGIN
APP, DRIVER, EXTENSION, and PLUGIN are software downloads, covering standalone programs, hardware support, and added functionality.
EXTENSION and PLUGIN form an especially tight pair, but the category broadens beyond browser add-ons to include APP and DRIVER.
Blue (Elements Of A Musical): BOOK, LYRICS, MUSIC, ORCHESTRATION
BOOK, LYRICS, MUSIC, and ORCHESTRATION are elements of a musical.
BOOK is the least immediately theatrical term, since it refers to the musical's spoken dialogue and dramatic structure rather than a printed volume.
Purple (Tele___): GRAM, KINESIS, PROMPTER, VISION
GRAM, KINESIS, PROMPTER, and VISION all accept TELE at the front, producing telegram, telekinesis, teleprompter, and television.
The fragments differ enough in meaning that the shared opening is easier to spot after the more literal groups have been removed.
The Verdict
The clothing group should fall first, with CROP, HALTER, TANK, and TUBE forming the grid's most concrete set.
The sharpest trap sits between TUBE and VISION, two words that naturally suggest screens even though they finish different groups.
Purple is the streak-deciding group because GRAM, KINESIS, PROMPTER, and VISION only lock together once TELE is supplied.
Reset and Repeat
The TELE construction gives today's grid its best finishing snap. Reset tomorrow for another round of literal links, deliberate overlaps, and one last hidden mechanism.
For now, puzzle #1136 is solved. See you at midnight for the next round.
