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NYT Connections Hints for October 9

Blue shares POINT. Purple uses only letters that are Roman numerals. This October 9, 2026 page is an original practice board in the Connections format, with four hints and a grid you can play.

Need the habit, not this date? The connections hint guide explains what each color is allowed to say. The live day is on hints today.

Hints

  1. Yellow hint

    Four kinds of dog.

  2. Green hint

    Each one lives in a toolbox.

  3. Blue hint

    The same noun can follow all four.

  4. Purple hint

    Every letter in these words is also a Roman numeral.

Play the October 9 board

4 mistakes left.

Show the four groups

October 9 starts with dogs and hand tools, then the point words scatter. Ball, match, starting, and breaking do not describe one sport. They finish as ballpoint, match point, starting point, and breaking point. Purple is a letter test. Mix, livid, civil, and dill are written only with I, V, X, L, C, D, and M, the Roman numeral letters. Drill is a tool, not a member of that spelling set.

  1. Dog breeds

    POODLE, BEAGLE, BOXER, CORGI

    Poodle, beagle, boxer, and corgi are dog breeds.

  2. Hand tools

    HAMMER, WRENCH, DRILL, SAW

    Hammer, wrench, drill, and saw are hand tools.

  3. Words before POINT

    BALL, MATCH, STARTING, BREAKING

    Ballpoint, match point, starting point, and breaking point.

  4. Roman numeral letters only

    MIX, LIVID, CIVIL, DILL

    Mix, livid, civil, and dill use only I, V, X, L, C, D, and M.