Connections Hint
Puzzle #1187 · September 10, 2026

NYT Connections Hints for September 10, 2026

Start with the spoiler-free hints. Go deeper only when you need to. Reveal answers on your own terms.

Thursday, September 10, 2026
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Today’s 16 Puzzle Words
Tap any word to see how it’s used in this puzzle
ADULT CONTEMPORARYATLANTIC CITYALTERNATING CURRENTBADLANDSACTINIUMREPRESENTCATIOAIR CONDITIONERKRYPTONSULFURBORN TO RUNFLOWER BOXCLOTHESLINELEADSEXTANTTHUNDER ROAD

Spoiler-Free Hints

Three levels — warmer as you read down
i Ultra safe

A direction for each group — no names given.

  • Basic, raw materials—some sound dangerous, some are surprisingly common.
  • You'd spot these attached to an opening rather than inside a room.
  • These carry an anthemic, narrative energy—watch for proper-name vibes.
  • Something unusual links these beyond what they appear to mean.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • Brush up on basic chemistry; these substances are more familiar than they appear.
  • Think about home exteriors and practical attachments you might see from the sidewalk.
  • You'll need classic-rock knowledge from a New Jersey singer-songwriter.
  • Ignore dictionary meanings and examine the tail ends of these items.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • All four are substances from the periodic table; one spelling doubles as a common verb.
  • These are all outward extensions from the same domestic opening; one is a feline patio.
  • These are all titles from a rock icon's catalog; the places are more than geography.
  • Each ends with a hidden synonym for now—check the suffix, not the whole word.

Today’s Trap Words

The words engineered to mislead

Every Connections board plants a few decoys. Here are today’s, and why they pull you the wrong way.

AIR CONDITIONER

Its initials create a tempting 'AC' trio with two other entries, which can send solvers hunting for an abbreviation category that isn't there.

ATLANTIC CITY

It reads as a straightforward place name, so solvers may try to sort it into a geography group before hearing the classic-rock connection.

KRYPTON

Pop-culture knowledge makes Superman's planet leap to mind, pulling attention away from the chemistry set.

BADLANDS

It can look like a terrain term rather than a song title, especially alongside other place-like words.

Connections Answers — September 10, 2026

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
LEAD · ACTINIUM · SULFUR · KRYPTON
Tap to reveal
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW
CATIO · CLOTHESLINE · AIR CONDITIONER · FLOWER BOX
Tap to reveal
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS
ATLANTIC CITY · BADLANDS · THUNDER ROAD · BORN TO RUN
Tap to reveal
ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"
ALTERNATING CURRENT · REPRESENT · ADULT CONTEMPORARY · SEXTANT
Tap to reveal
SEE ALSO:
NYT Wordle hints for September 10, 2026 NYT Pips hints for September 10, 2026 NYT Strands hints for September 10, 2026

Category Breakdown — Puzzle #1187

Why each group works — not just what it is

CHEMICAL ELEMENTS

Actinium, krypton, lead, and sulfur are all chemical elements. The group lures you through words that also have cultural or everyday meanings.

WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE STICKING OUT OF A WINDOW

Air conditioner, catio, clothesline, and flower box are all things that protrude from or attach to windows. CATIO is a niche but memorable entry—a feline patio that makes the group playful.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN CLASSICS

Atlantic City, Badlands, Born to Run, and Thunder Road are all classics from Bruce Springsteen. They mix real locales with vivid, anthemic titles.

ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "HAPPENING NOW"

Adult contemporary, alternating current, represent, and sextant end with contemporary, current, present, and extant—all ways of saying 'happening now.' The suffix is hidden inside each longer term.

Word Guide — All 16 Puzzle Words

What each word means in this puzzle
ADULT CONTEMPORARY
A radio format known for mellow pop and soft rock. Its last word means 'belonging to the present or modern era.'
ATLANTIC CITY
A coastal resort town in New Jersey famous for boardwalks and casinos. It is also a title from a celebrated songwriter's catalog.
ALTERNATING CURRENT
An electric current that periodically reverses direction; its abbreviation AC appears in many household contexts. The final word also means 'happening now.'
BADLANDS
A type of dry, eroded terrain with steep slopes and little vegetation. It is also a well-known classic rock song and album title.
ACTINIUM
A radioactive metallic element that glows faintly in the dark and is part of the actinide series.
REPRESENT
A verb meaning to act or speak on behalf of someone. It contains the word 'present,' which can mean the current time.
CATIO
A portmanteau of 'cat' and 'patio'—an enclosed outdoor space that lets a cat enjoy fresh air safely. It often extends from a window or wall.
AIR CONDITIONER
A cooling appliance that lowers indoor temperature and often sits in a window or through a wall. Its initials can be abbreviated AC, which contributes to the puzzle's misdirection.
KRYPTON
A colorless noble gas, though pop culture fans may first think of Superman's home planet. That dual association is part of the fun.
SULFUR
A yellow, nonmetallic element known for a distinctive smell, often associated with volcanic areas and certain minerals.
BORN TO RUN
A phrase meaning naturally inclined to flee or keep moving. It is also a famous anthem and album title, full of restless energy.
FLOWER BOX
A narrow planter, often placed beneath a window or on a ledge, used for growing flowers or trailing greenery outdoors.
CLOTHESLINE
A rope or wire stretched taut for hanging wet laundry to dry, often outdoors between poles or from a building.
LEAD
A heavy, soft metallic element; the same spelling is also a verb meaning to guide. In puzzles, this split meaning makes it versatile and easy to misread.
SEXTANT
A navigational tool used to measure angular distances, especially between celestial bodies and the horizon. Its end hides 'extant,' meaning currently existing.
THUNDER ROAD
An evocative phrase suggesting a stormy or dramatic road. It is also a classic rock song title, which is the relevant angle here.

Puzzle Design Analysis

Why the editor constructed it this way

Liu plants a clever false 'AC' path: Air Conditioner, Adult Contemporary, and Alternating Current all share initials but scatter across three groups, breaking the usual acronym instinct. The green group hides a whimsical unknown in CATIO, while the purple suffixes camouflage current and present inside longer phrases. The Springsteen answer set doubles as place names and anthemic titles, making the puzzle feel more fragmented than it actually is.

Difficulty & Analysis

How tough today’s board really plays
Overall
6.8/10
Most deceptive
SEXTANT

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
Now-synonym endings

requires lateral thinking

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