Yellow group
Most direct
First nudge
Think about what some animals do with nuts before winter.
Stronger nudge
Each word can mean to put something aside so you can use it another day, money or food alike.
Group name
Save for later
Connections hint #1214: October 7, 2026
Step-by-step hints and answers for Connections #1214, from Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
One cluster of words on this Wednesday grid looks like an instant set, and that comfort is worth questioning. One of those tiles is needed somewhere else, and working out which one is most of the battle. After that the board loosens up quickly. Clear the friendliest sets first, then give the longer, more unusual tiles some room, and resist forcing any of them together until only eight are left.
- MUSICAL
- CINNAMON
- TRIDENT
- HOT DOG
- STICKY
- SQUIRREL
- MONOLOGUE
- PLAY
- BANK
- DICHOTOMY
- HAMBURGER
- STORE
- CHOREOGRAPHY
- STASH
- ORCHESTRATIONS
- TETRACYCLINE
Hints for Connections #1214
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
Picture a bakery counter and a summer cookout.
Stronger nudge
Each word can come right before the soft bread roll you might eat at a ballpark or a brunch.
Group name
Kinds of buns
Blue group
Takes some thought
First nudge
Count, and look at how each word begins.
Stronger nudge
Each word opens with a prefix for a small number, from one up to four.
Group name
Greek numerical prefixes
Purple group
Trickiest
First nudge
Think of a June awards night on Broadway.
Stronger nudge
Each word can follow the same opening word for a category at the top theater prizes, from a whole show to its dance numbers.
Group name
Best ___ Tony Awards
Show the trap
Count the stage words before you click anything. MUSICAL, PLAY, MONOLOGUE, CHOREOGRAPHY and ORCHESTRATIONS make five candidates for a four-word set, and one of them is needed elsewhere. Check each against the other long words on the board before you commit to a theater group.
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
- TETRACYCLINE
- An antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections. The name comes from its structure of four connected rings.
- DICHOTOMY
- A division into two contrasting parts or ideas, such as a dichotomy between work and play.
- TRIDENT
- A three-pronged spear, the symbol of the sea god Poseidon. It is also a brand of sugar-free gum.
- ORCHESTRATIONS
- Arrangements of a piece of music for the instruments of an orchestra or a show's pit band.
- SQUIRREL
- As a verb, usually with away, to hide something for future use, the way a squirrel buries nuts.
Answers for Connections #1214
This section shows all four groups. Only open it if you're finished or ready to give up.
Show all four groups
-
Save for later
BANK, SQUIRREL, STASH, STORE
Ways to put something aside for later: BANK, SQUIRREL (away), STASH and STORE.
-
Kinds of buns
CINNAMON, HAMBURGER, HOT DOG, STICKY
Kinds of bun: a CINNAMON bun, a HAMBURGER bun, a HOT DOG bun and a STICKY bun.
-
Greek numerical prefixes
DICHOTOMY, MONOLOGUE, TETRACYCLINE, TRIDENT
Words that open with a number prefix: MONO (one) in MONOLOGUE, DI (two) in DICHOTOMY, TRI (three) in TRIDENT and TETRA (four) in TETRACYCLINE. MONOLOGUE, DICHOTOMY and TETRACYCLINE build on Greek, while TRIDENT comes from the Latin tridens, three-toothed.
-
Best ___ Tony Awards
CHOREOGRAPHY, MUSICAL, ORCHESTRATIONS, PLAY
Each word completes a Tony Award category: Best MUSICAL, Best PLAY, Best CHOREOGRAPHY and Best ORCHESTRATIONS.
The solve at a glance
Begin with the buns: HOT DOG and HAMBURGER can only be buns, and CINNAMON and STICKY complete the bakery. BANK, STASH and STORE take SQUIRREL as ways to put something by. Of the stage words, MONOLOGUE drops out to join DICHOTOMY, TETRACYCLINE and TRIDENT, which all open with a number. MUSICAL, PLAY, CHOREOGRAPHY and ORCHESTRATIONS each follow Best at the Tony Awards.
Want to get better at spotting groups? Start with our Connections tips.
Answers checked against the official answers by Alan. This puzzle appeared on Wednesday, October 7, 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 October 2026 is listed on the October 2026 archive page.