# Connections #1191 leans on birds and grass

> Hints, category names, and the full solution for the September 14 NYT Connections puzzle.
- Title: Connections #1191 leans on birds and grass · Mashable
- Summary: Hints, category names, and the full solution for the September 14 NYT Connections puzzle. Today's board hides two bird groups: real waterbirds and slang for…
- Keywords: nyt connections, word games, puzzle hints, new york times, daily puzzle, technology, culture, Connections, 1191, leans, birds, grass
- Source: Mashable — https://mashable.com/entertainment/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-september-14-2026
- Author: Mashable Team
- Published: 2026-09-14T02:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nyt connections, word games, puzzle hints, new york times, daily puzzle, technology, culture
## Today's board is bird heavy
Connections #1191 resets at midnight like Wordle, and this one rewards anyone who knows their waterfowl. The rest is hints, then the answers.

> The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you know about birds.
## How the game works
Sixteen words, four groups of four, one correct arrangement. Editor Wyna Liu helped bring it to the NYT Games section.

> finding the "common threads between words"
## Four mistakes and you're out
Correct sets vanish from the board. Wrong guesses count against you, and the fourth one ends the game. Shuffling the tiles helps you spot pairs.
## Colors tell you the difficulty
Yellow is the easiest group, then green, blue, and purple. Purple is usually the wordplay trap, so solve around it.
## Nudges before the answers
Yellow: birds that like water. Green: undercover. Blue: disposables. Purple: kinds of grass.
## The full solution
Waterbirds: COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL. Informant: CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE. Single-use plastics: BAG, CUTLERY, STIRRER, STRAW. ___Grass: BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT.
## Key takeaway

Today's board hides two bird groups: real waterbirds and slang for a snitch, so sort the birds before you guess.