Yellow group
Most direct
First nudge
Look at the left side of your inbox.
Stronger nudge
Each is a label or button you see in an email program, from writing a new message to the folder for junk.
Group name
Email buttons
Connections hint #1198: September 21, 2026
Step-by-step hints and answers for Connections #1198, from Monday, September 21, 2026.
Small, everyday words make up most of this grid, and several of them lead double lives, so the first meaning that comes to mind is not always the one that counts. Be wary of any little cluster that seems to need just one more member, because chasing the missing piece is the quickest way to waste a mistake here. Once the obvious picks are in, give the stubborn leftovers a fresh read, one tile at a time.
- COMPOSE
- CHECK
- FLY
- BEET
- BRAH
- WORM
- SPAM
- MATE
- CASTLE
- CHUM
- VIVA
- SENT
- CHOP
- CAPTURE
- DRAFTS
- SPINNER
Hints for Connections #1198
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 what an angler puts on the end of a line.
Stronger nudge
Each is a way to lure something to a hook, from live bait to an imitation insect or a flashing lure that spins.
Group name
Ways to attract fish
Blue group
Takes some thought
First nudge
Think about moves on a board with sixty-four squares.
Stronger nudge
Each word describes something a player can do in a game of kings and queens, from taking a piece to ending the game.
Group name
Chess verbs
Purple group
Trickiest
First nudge
Read each tile as the beginning of something longer.
Stronger nudge
Each tile is the first part of the surname of a famous figure in classical music, from Ninth Symphony fame to The Four Seasons.
Group name
Starts of composers' names
Show the trap
CHUM, MATE and BRAH can all mean a friend, and three buddies on one board look like most of a set. Hunting for a fourth pal costs time and usually a guess, and the search is doomed from the start: each of the three is doing a very different job. Read them away from the playground and they head off in three directions.
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
- CHUM
- Cut-up fish and blood scattered in the water to attract fish, especially sharks. It is also an old-fashioned word for a close friend.
- SPINNER
- A fishing lure with a metal blade that turns as it moves through the water, catching the light and drawing fish toward the hook.
- CASTLE
- Besides a fortified building, a chess move in which the king and a rook change position in one turn, usually to protect the king.
- BRAH
- Slang for brother or friend, used much like bro or dude, and closely tied to surf culture in Hawaii and California.
- VIVA
- A cheer meaning long live, borrowed from Spanish and Italian, heard from crowds showing their support for a team or a person.
Answers for Connections #1198
This section shows all four groups. Only open it if you're finished or ready to give up.
Show all four groups
-
Email buttons
COMPOSE, DRAFTS, SENT, SPAM
Buttons and folders in an email program: COMPOSE, DRAFTS, SENT and SPAM.
-
Ways to attract fish
CHUM, FLY, SPINNER, WORM
Ways to attract fish: CHUM, FLY, SPINNER and WORM. Chum is bait scattered in the water, and a spinner is a lure with a blade that turns as it is reeled in.
-
Chess verbs
CAPTURE, CASTLE, CHECK, MATE
Verbs used in chess: CAPTURE, CASTLE, CHECK and MATE. To castle is the one move that shifts the king and a rook in the same turn.
-
Starts of composers' names
BEET, BRAH, CHOP, VIVA
The opening letters of famous composers' surnames: BEETthoven, BRAHms, CHOPin and VIVAldi.
The solve at a glance
Email is the quickest start: COMPOSE, DRAFTS, SENT and SPAM all sit on the same screen. CHUM looks like a friend, but here it is the bait that joins FLY, WORM and SPINNER as ways to tempt a fish. CHECK, MATE, CASTLE and CAPTURE follow as chess moves. Read BEET, BRAH, CHOP and VIVA as the start of a longer name and four composers appear: Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin and Vivaldi.
Want to get better at spotting groups? Start with our Connections tips.
Answers checked against the official answers by Alan. This puzzle appeared on Monday, September 21, 2026.
More Connections puzzles
Every puzzle keeps its own page with the same nudges, meanings and answers, so you can go back to any day.
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.