The New York Times Connections puzzle for Friday, August 28, 2026, presents players with a grid of words to categorize into four distinct groups of four. For those seeking assistance, Rock Paper Shotgun provides daily hints and the complete solution.
Daily Hints
The puzzle offers tiered hints to help players uncover the solutions without revealing them immediately. For Friday, August 28, the hints are as follows:
- Yellow Hint: Words said before your head hits the pillow.
- Green Hint: Turn it around, read it again, and it's like nothing has changed.
- Blue Hint: Old words get a modern addition.
- Purple Hint: Wherever the peak is, these four will be waiting there.
An additional set of hints is available, offering a single word from each group:
- Yellow: Night
- Green: Sis
- Blue: Bro
- Purple: Pops
Solving the Puzzle
For players who prefer to see the solutions directly, the four groups and their corresponding words are revealed below.
Group 1: Bedtime Parting Words
This group consists of phrases commonly used to bid farewell at bedtime. The words are: Night, Rest Easy, Sleep Tight, Sweet Dreams.
Group 2: Palindromes
This category comprises words that read the same forwards and backward. The words in this group are: Mom, Noon, Sis, Top Spot.
Group 3: Modern Add-Ons/Combining Forms
This section explores contemporary linguistic additions or combining forms. The words are: Bro, Coded, Era, Maxxing.
Group 4: Top of the ___
This group features words that complete the common phrase "top of the..." in various contexts. The words are: Hour, Line, Morning, Pops.
The puzzle offers a mix of familiar phrases and modern wordplay, with the yellow group focusing on bedtime farewells, the green group on palindromic words, the blue group on modern linguistic additions, and the purple group completing phrases that start with "top of the."