NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, October 22 (game #1229)

Looking for a different day? A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'.

If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, October 21 (game #1228) .

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories.

It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course.

I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1229) - today's words (Image credit: New York Times) Today's NYT Connections words are… MOBILE COMFORT BLANK SAFETY RELIEF GRIP END BUST HANDLE TACKLE PILL KNOB SHE GUARD HILT STATUE NYT Connections today (game #1229) - hint #1 - group hints What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups? YELLOW: Grab a hold of something GREEN: Art you with weight BLUE: NFL players PURPLE: Partially sleep on these Need more clues? We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles… NYT Connections today (game #1229) - hint #2 - group answers What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups? YELLOW: PARTS TO BE GRASPED GREEN: KINDS OF SCULPTURES BLUE: AMERICAN FOOTBALL POSITIONS PURPLE: STARTS OF BEDDING Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1229) - the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today's Connections, game #1229, are… YELLOW: PARTS TO BE GRASPED: GRIP, HANDLE, HILT, KNOB GREEN: KINDS OF SCULPTURES: BUST, MOBILE, RELIEF, STATUE BLUE: AMERICAN FOOTBALL POSITIONS: END, GUARD, SAFETY, TACKLE PURPLE: STARTS OF BEDDING: BLANK, COMFORT, PILL, SHE My rating: Hard My score: Perfect You know a game is difficult when the yellow/so-called easiest group has multiple possibilities that could trip you up.

In this case, SAFETY and GUARD could easily have joined the four tiles that made up PARTS TO BE GRASPED.

Fortunately, I avoided the traps (I also had a brief moment contemplating a baby-themed foursome) before I landed KINDS OF SCULPTURES early on in the game.