Step-by-step hints and answers for Connections #1201, from Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Long, colorful tiles fill this Thursday board, and the first theme most eyes settle on is the one to distrust. Several of the showiest tiles need a different home before the grid opens up, so hold off on any set that seems to assemble itself. The hardest group hides behind tiles that look perfectly ordinary, and it is worth a slower read than their friendly looks suggest. Give it your full attention.
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.
Most direct
Think about what someone wears to a Halloween party as Dracula.
Each is part of the outfit for a classic Transylvanian count, from a high-collared garment to sharp pointed teeth and a red liquid.
Parts of a vampire costume
Fairly direct
Think about toys and gadgets that bounce back when you press them.
Each object needs metal coils to work, from a joke container that launches a surprise to a backyard toy for jumping.
Things with spring/s
Takes some thought
Think about famous images where someone singles out a person using one hand.
Each features a gesture toward someone or something, from a fresco on a chapel ceiling to a recruiting poster and a novelty slogan top.
Featuring pointing
Trickiest
Look closely at the letters in each tile, not at the words.
Each tile uses exactly the same seven letters, just in a different order.
Anagrams
Anyone who has been to a ballgame will spot the stadium kit straight away: FOAM FINGER, FACE PAINT, BEER HAT and BOBBLEHEAD. It is a tempting collection, and the solution breaks it apart. Those four end up in four different groups, so set the fan gear aside and look for what each one shares with its quieter neighbors.
More ways to dodge red herrings: our Connections tips.
Some meanings point toward a group, so they stay hidden until you open them.
This section shows all four groups. Only open it if you're finished or ready to give up.
CAPE, FACE PAINT, FAKE BLOOD, FANGS
Parts of a vampire costume: CAPE, FACE PAINT, FAKE BLOOD and FANGS.
BOBBLEHEAD, POGO STICK, SNAKES IN A CAN, TRAMPOLINE
Things that rely on a spring or springs: BOBBLEHEAD, POGO STICK, SNAKES IN A CAN and TRAMPOLINE. A bobblehead's head sits on a spring, which is why it nods.
CREATION OF ADAM, FOAM FINGER, I'M WITH STUPID SHIRT, UNCLE SAM
Things featuring pointing: Michelangelo's CREATION OF ADAM, the sports FOAM FINGER, the I'M WITH STUPID SHIRT and the UNCLE SAM poster that points straight at the viewer.
BEER HAT, BREATHE, HERB TEA, THE BEAR
Anagrams of one another: BEER HAT, BREATHE, HERB TEA and THE BEAR all use the letters A, B, E, E, H, R and T.
The stadium gear is what to undo. FANGS, CAPE and FAKE BLOOD claim FACE PAINT for the vampire. POGO STICK, TRAMPOLINE and SNAKES IN A CAN pull in BOBBLEHEAD, since its head nods on a spring. FOAM FINGER joins UNCLE SAM, CREATION OF ADAM and the I'M WITH STUPID SHIRT as famous pointing. BEER HAT, BREATHE, HERB TEA and THE BEAR finish as anagrams of one another.
Want to get better at spotting groups? Start with our Connections tips.
Answers checked against the official answers by Alan. This puzzle appeared on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
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.