Spoiler warning: the complete categories and words for NYT Connections game #1216, the Friday, October 9, 2026 puzzle, are below. Read the hints first if you still want to solve it yourself.
Hints before the reveal
Work through the four color groups in this order. Each hint names the category without giving away a word.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Yellow: words for a lopsided, one-sided win.
- Green: things you adjust with a television’s remote control.
- Blue: parts of a sports broadcast that recaps a game.
- Purple: words that complete the phrase “AIR ___.”
Full answers for game #1216
The sixteen words on the board form four groups of four. The table lists each group with the category reported by the answer guides cited below.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Decisive victory | BLOWOUT, ROMP, ROUT, SWEEP |
| Green | Controlled by a TV remote | CHANNEL, INPUT, POWER, VOLUME |
| Blue | Features of a sports show | HIGHLIGHTS, RECAP, SCORES, STATS |
| Purple | AIR ___ | CONDITIONER, GUITAR, KISS, QUOTES |
The sixteen tiles
The full board, as listed in the archive reference, is POWER, GUITAR, CONDITIONER, VOLUME, BLOWOUT, KISS, SWEEP, HIGHLIGHTS, SCORES, QUOTES, INPUT, STATS, CHANNEL, ROMP, RECAP, and ROUT. Tiles can appear in a different order on your own screen, so match words by spelling rather than position.
#1 Best Overall
Checking the puzzle number and date
Before trusting any daily answer, confirm that the puzzle number and date match what is on your screen. For this board, the date is Friday, October 9, 2026, and the game number is #1216. Two answer guides agree on that identification. FiveLetterWords published its page as “Connections Hints & Answers for October 9, 2026 (#1216),” last updated October 8, 2026. GameDaily’s same-day report, dated October 8, 2026, identifies the same game and describes category themes that match the groups above.
Both are third-party answer guides, not official New York Times publications. If the words you see differ from the table, check the date and number in the game before assuming the guide is wrong.
Rank #2
What the sources do and do not establish
The groupings and the game number are consistent across the two guides. Neither source is an official NYT page, so the answers here reflect secondary reporting rather than a published NYT key. For the exact wording of the category labels, read the game’s own help text where it is available.
For an overview of the game itself and how its daily puzzles are organized, see the New York Times Games site.
Use the hints above to solve the board yourself. If a word still does not fit, check the category it belongs to in the table, then return to the board.
Most solvers find the Purple group, AIR ___, easiest to confirm first, because each of its four words forms a common phrase.
Once you have tried a group, the remaining tiles narrow quickly.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
