NYT Connections Solution And Hints For August 31, 2026

Published Aug 31, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT

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Don't go into today's Connections without understanding that words in the puzzle are barely defined by their actual meanings. Themes of status, title, or organization are integral clues for the right answers, but only if you figure out what context the puzzle is referring to. Almost no section is quite the same, making the Connections more difficult than it has been in the past.

You only have four chances to make a mistake before losing a game of Connections, limiting your options as you play. The best advice for any day of Connections is to take your time to understand many possible contexts one phrase could mean besides what seems obvious. Similar to the Letter Boxed NYT puzzles, you have to find patterns to correctly discover the right path.

Today's Connections Category Hints

August 31 #1178

Each category in the Connections for today is somewhat different from one another, with every word being related to a specific context that can be tough to find. However, thinking about how certain terms are organized can help narrow down options, especially with phrases that have fewer alternate meanings. Try to consider what words proceed or how they are commonly used, rather than their strict definitions, to solve today's puzzle.

If you want to know some hints regarding today's puzzle categories, check out these clues below:

• One category is about items that are similarly packaged in hollow, cylindrical containers.
• One category is about words you might see on a package you ordered that comes to your door.
• One category is about titles associated with major figures in the past of various nations.
• One category is about phrases that precede a round object used to hold cereal and other foods.

If you want to go all out with some of your clue-searching, you should look at the category names to get some extra help. There are also spoilers for each category if you find yourself needing to solve a single category to finish up.

	THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES
	WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX
	HISTORICAL SOVERIGN TITLES
	___ BOWL

Today's Connections Answers

August 31 #1178

Yellow Answers: Revealed & Explained

THINGS THAT COME IN TUBES
LIPSTICK	TENNIS BALLS	POSTER	TOOTHPASTE

This category is easier to solve when you invision the words in the puzzle instead of attempting to strictly define them. The presentation of something like TOOTHPASTE is always through a tube, similar to how TENNIS BALLS and a POSTER are sold in tubes too. With this logic, LIPSTICK is used out of a tube as well, making this category simple to put together.

Green Answers: Revealed & Explained

WARNINGS ON A SHIPPING BOX
FRAGILE	HEAVY	PERISHABLE	THIS SIDE UP

At first glance, words like THIS SIDE UP and SALAD can be confused to be related, as the first phrase could be referencing a style of eggs for a food pattern. That being said, FRAGILE and PERISHABLE have a close bond right away as two terms describing the delicate nature of some objects or food. Thinking about storage from the last category, you can apply the same thought process here, with HEAVY and THIS SIDE UP being used to prevent items from breaking when being stored or shipped.

Blue Answers: Revealed & Explained

HISTORICAL SOVEREIGN TITLES
CALIPH	KHAN	PHARAOH	SHOGUN

This category was the first one I solved, as terms like SHOGUN and PHARAOH are commonly used as titles for historical figures in Japan and Egypt, respectively. Following that pattern, recognizing KHAN for figures like Genghis Khan will keep you on the right track. At the same time, while CALIPH is a rarer title from history, it still fits the same context as the other words listed.

Purple Answers: Revealed & Explained

___ BOWL
DUST	POKE	SALAD	SUPER

With football season right around the corner, seeing SUPER for Super Bowl was something that drew my attention immediately. Although POKE for a poke bowl meal item isn't as easy to spot, a SALAD bowl is a much more common food item that fits this category's theme. With the historical DUST bowl not quite fitting in this part of the Connections, it may be the last word you put with others to find the entire puzzle's solution at long last.

Other Games Like Connections

If you are looking for another puzzle to play, check out one of the ones in the box below.

Game Name	How To Play	Is It Free To Play?
Wordle (NYT)	Solve a random five-letter word by using color clues. Every Wordle answer can be found in our daily updated list.	Yes
Primel	Guess a five-digit number in six attempts.	Yes
Crosswordle	Find the two words that intersect each other like a crossword puzzle.	Yes
The Password Game	Create a password in this ever-changing, not-so-simple game. You can find some helpful tips in our Password Game guide.	Yes

Systems