Yellow group
Most direct
First nudge
Think about the pieces a long project is divided into.
Stronger nudge
Each is a word for one part of a sequence, like a level in a competition or a single move in a recipe.
Group name
Segment of a process
Connections hint #1195: September 18, 2026
Step-by-step hints and answers for Connections #1195, from Friday, September 18, 2026.
This Friday board feels friendly until two of its groups start borrowing from each other. A few tiles could sit comfortably in either one, and a quick click is likely to cost a mistake. A third temptation pulls tiles from all over the grid toward a set the solution does not include. Start with the most approachable four, which happens to be purple, and the tangle loosens from there.
- PILLOW
- CRUISE
- UPPER
- STEP
- FLIGHT
- STAIR
- PLATTER
- LANDING
- ROUND
- STAGE
- TAKEOFF
- MEDLEY
- BRIEF
- BOARDING
- SAMPLER
- PHASE
Hints for Connections #1195
Open one step at a time. Step three names the group, so stop earlier if you want more of a challenge. New to the game? Read how to play Connections first, or see what the four colors mean.
Green group
Fairly direct
First nudge
Think about ordering a little bit of everything at a restaurant or tasting room.
Stronger nudge
Each is a word for a selection served together, like a row of small tasting glasses or a mixed tray of snacks.
Group name
Assortments of food/drink
Blue group
Takes some thought
First nudge
Picture a trip on an airliner from gate to gate.
Stronger nudge
Each is a part of an airplane journey, from walking down the jet bridge to touching the runway.
Group name
Parts of a flight
Purple group
Trickiest
First nudge
Each tile becomes a new word with the same short ending.
Stronger nudge
Add the word for a suitcase or a court matter to each tile and you get a lawyer's bag, a cover for something you sleep on, a way up between floors and a style of capital letters.
Group name
___case
Show the trap
FLIGHT is the tile that holds a costly idea together. With STEP, STAIR and LANDING beside it, the board seems to sketch a staircase, right down to the flat spot halfway up. Submit those four and the guess is gone, because each of them belongs to a different group. Give FLIGHT a meaning that has nothing to do with climbing before you place it.
More ways to dodge red herrings: our Connections tips.
Word meanings
Some meanings point toward a group, so they stay hidden until you open them.
Show meanings for 5 tricky words
- FLIGHT
- A trip by air, a set of stairs between floors, or a tasting set of small pours, such as a flight of ciders or coffees.
- LANDING
- The moment an aircraft touches down, or the flat platform at the top of a set of stairs or between two flights.
- MEDLEY
- A mix of things, such as songs played one after another, a swimming race using several strokes, or a blend of vegetables.
- CRUISE
- A pleasure trip on a ship, or the steady middle part of a flight at altitude after the climb.
- UPPER
- Higher in position. In old print shops, capital letters were kept in the higher of two wooden type trays, which gave capitals their printing name.
Answers for Connections #1195
This section shows all four groups. Only open it if you're finished or ready to give up.
Show all four groups
-
Segment of a process
PHASE, ROUND, STAGE, STEP
Words for a segment of a process: PHASE, ROUND, STAGE and STEP.
-
Assortments of food/drink
FLIGHT, MEDLEY, PLATTER, SAMPLER
Assortments of food or drink: a FLIGHT, a MEDLEY, a PLATTER and a SAMPLER.
-
Parts of a flight
BOARDING, CRUISE, LANDING, TAKEOFF
Parts of an airplane flight: BOARDING, TAKEOFF, CRUISE and LANDING.
-
___case
BRIEF, PILLOW, STAIR, UPPER
Words that come before CASE: BRIEFCASE, PILLOWCASE, STAIRCASE and UPPERCASE.
The solve at a glance
PILLOW and UPPER are the friendliest tiles, and adding CASE pulls in BRIEF and STAIR as well. TAKEOFF, CRUISE and BOARDING then claim LANDING for the airplane trip. That leaves FLIGHT to join MEDLEY, PLATTER and SAMPLER as things served as a selection, while PHASE, ROUND, STAGE and STEP mark the parts of a process.
Want to get better at spotting groups? Start with our Connections tips.
Answers checked against the official answers by Alan. This puzzle appeared on Friday, September 18, 2026.
More Connections puzzles
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Looking for a different day? Use the links below, or head to today's Connections hint. Every puzzle from September 2026 is listed on the September 2026 archive page.