Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14
NYT Connections Rates Aug. 15 Puzzle at 1.8/5 Difficulty
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14

NYT Connections Rates Aug. 15 Puzzle at 1.8/5 Difficulty

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14

Summary

  • The New York Times posted answers, hints and discussion for Connections Companion No. 1,161, rating the Aug. 15, 2026 puzzle a relatively easy 1.8 out of 5.
  • That score comes from paid testers who solve each puzzle in advance, though the Times notes individual players may judge the difficulty differently.
  • Connections releases at midnight in each time zone, and the Times runs two live companion pages daily to accommodate global players while directing users to the matching puzzle number.
  • The companion also steers solvers to Connections Bot for deeper analysis and invites them to compare solve grids and scores in the comments.

Insights

Are NYT's daily hint companions and analytical bots enhancing the Connections community, or secretly destroying the pure challenge of the game?
How did puzzle 1,161's seemingly easy 1.8 difficulty rating mask the brilliant psychological tricks hidden within its hardest word categories?