What is the NYT Connections answer for September 1 (#1178)?

The four groups are "I PROMISE!" (CROSS MY HEART, FOR REAL, ON GOD, PINKY SWEAR); LONG, SKINNY THINGS OFTEN SEEN TOGETHER (ARROW, GOLF CLUB, PICK-UP STICK, SPAGHETTO); PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS OF FICTION (HERCULE POIROT, MIKE HAMMER, SAM SPADE, SHERLOCK HOLMES); STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION (AIMEE MANN, HOPE DIAMOND, PLANETARIUM, WISHY-WASHY).

Which Connections group is hardest today?

The purple group — "STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION" — is the trickiest, as it usually relies on wordplay or a hidden connection rather than a straightforward category.

What do the Connections colors mean?

Yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple is the hardest — often involving wordplay or a hidden twist.

Tuesday, September 1, 2026#1178

NYT Connections Hints & Answer — Tuesday, September 1

DailyWordHints Editorial September 1

"I PROMISE!"

Easiest

LONG, SKINNY THINGS OFTEN SEEN TOGETHER

Easy

PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS OF FICTION

Tricky

STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION

Hardest

Today's NYT Connections groups are "I PROMISE!" (yellow), LONG, SKINNY THINGS OFTEN SEEN TOGETHER (green), PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS OF FICTION (blue), STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION (purple).

PLANETARIUM

ARROW

HOPE DIAMOND

FOR REAL

SAM SPADE

WISHY-WASHY

MIKE HAMMER

GOLF CLUB

CROSS MY HEART

PICK-UP STICK

SHERLOCK HOLMES

AIMEE MANN

PINKY SWEAR

HERCULE POIROT

SPAGHETTO

ON GOD

Hints by group

yellowEasiest

greenEasy

blueTricky

purpleHardest

Full answers below

Today’s answers

yellowEasiest

greenEasy

blueTricky

purpleHardest

See all past Connections puzzles →

Today's Connections hints (no answers yet)

Here are spoiler-free nudges for NYT Connections #1178, Tuesday, September 1. Reveal one color at a time and work from the easiest group (yellow) to the trickiest (purple).

How to use these hints

Each clue is written so it never names any of the sixteen words — it just points you in the right direction. Open the full answer only once you're truly stuck.

Strategy for solving today's grid

Lock in the group you're most confident about first to shrink the board, but resist the obvious four-of-a-kind — the puzzle almost always plants a word that fits two themes. Save the purple group for last; it usually hides the wordplay twist.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NYT Connections answer for September 1 (#1178)?: The four groups are "I PROMISE!" (CROSS MY HEART, FOR REAL, ON GOD, PINKY SWEAR); LONG, SKINNY THINGS OFTEN SEEN TOGETHER (ARROW, GOLF CLUB, PICK-UP STICK, SPAGHETTO); PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS OF FICTION (HERCULE POIROT, MIKE HAMMER, SAM SPADE, SHERLOCK HOLMES); STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION (AIMEE MANN, HOPE DIAMOND, PLANETARIUM, WISHY-WASHY).
Which Connections group is hardest today?: The purple group — "STARTING WITH WORDS OF INTENTION" — is the trickiest, as it usually relies on wordplay or a hidden connection rather than a straightforward category.
What do the Connections colors mean?: Yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple is the hardest — often involving wordplay or a hidden twist.