NYT Connections #1020, published Friday, March 27, 2026, uses four groups: the essentials, airport-terminal features, orange things, and words ending with cellular-connectivity terms. Read the spoiler-free clues first; the complete grid and answers appear below.
Spoiler-free hints for Connections #1020
Use these clues in order before checking the solution.
- Yellow: Think about the fundamentals or the real substance of something.
- Green: Look for things you encounter in an airport terminal.
- Blue: Identify objects or characters commonly represented as orange.
- Purple: Look for words that end with terms associated with cellular connectivity.
TechRadar’s shorter clue set describes the same groups as “The real deal,” “As seen at JFK,” “A sunny color in common,” and “Phone finality.”
The 16-word grid
Here is the complete puzzle grid for Friday, March 27:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →#1 Best Overall
- TURN SIGNAL
- TRAFFIC CONE
- BRASS TACKS
- FOOD COURT
- THE LORAX
- LIP SERVICE
- TICKET COUNTER
- BOTTOM LINE
- DUTY-FREE
- NITTY-GRITTY
- MONARCH BUTTERFLY
- MONKEY BARS
- WEDDING RECEPTION
- GOLDFISH CRACKER
- BAGGAGE CLAIM
- BASIC FACTS
Connections #1020 answers
Yellow: WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO
BASIC FACTS, BOTTOM LINE, BRASS TACKS, NITTY-GRITTY
Each phrase points to the essential facts, practical details or final substance of an issue.
Rank #2
- "It was a great experience for the three of us . . . I loved it!" -- The Opinionated Gamers (review of original Dr. Esker's Notebook)
- Stand-alone sequel to the original Doctor Esker's Notebook
- Like an escape room packed into a deck of cards
- Original word, letter, number, logic, and geometry puzzles with unique solutions
- Solo or group play, hints available online
Green: FEATURES OF AN AIRPORT TERMINAL
BAGGAGE CLAIM, DUTY-FREE, FOOD COURT, TICKET COUNTER
These are recognizable services or areas found in an airport terminal.
Blue: THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE
GOLDFISH CRACKER, MONARCH BUTTERFLY, THE LORAX, TRAFFIC CONE
Each is commonly depicted or recognized in orange.
Purple: ENDING IN WORDS FOR CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY
LIP SERVICE, MONKEY BARS, TURN SIGNAL, WEDDING RECEPTION
Rank #4
- "It was a great experience for the three of us . . . I loved it!" -- The Opinionated Gamers (review of original Dr. Esker's Notebook)
- Stand-alone sequel to the original Doctor Esker's Notebook
- Like an escape room packed into a deck of cards
- Original word, letter, number, logic, and geometry puzzles with unique solutions
- Solo or group play, hints available online
The connection is at the end of each phrase: service, bars, signal and reception are all terms associated with cellular connectivity. The phrases themselves do not share one overall meaning.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the Connections rules work
Connections gives you a grid of 16 words, phrases, symbols or numbers. Arrange them into four groups of four, with one correct solution. Red herrings are deliberately common: a word may appear to fit more than one category until the remaining grid exposes the intended set.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Best Value
- PERFECT GIFTS: A hardcover notebook is a thoughtful gift to impress your friends, coworkers, or loved ones, a writing journal for women's work journal is both practical and stylish, and a must-have for stationery lovers.
- VERSATILE USE: Spiral notebooks are perfect for school, office, classroom, home, business, and travel. You can use college ruled notebook for note-taking, journaling, drawing, sketching, composing, and meeting notebooks.
- EASY TO CARRY: Perfectly sized to fit in your bag, backpack, or briefcase, ensuring you can take a spiral notebook college ruled and be inspired anytime, anywhere.
- SIZE: Our journaling notebooks measure approximately 5.5X8.3 inches with 164 lined pages, journals for writing perfect for whatever you're writing.
- QUALITY PAPER: The college notebook paper is smooth and acid-free, which prevents ink from bleeding and ensures that your writing is clear and crisp on every page.
Forbes’ rules allow three incorrect guesses: the fourth wrong guess ends the game. The familiar yellow-to-purple order generally runs from easier to harder, but that difficulty pattern is not guaranteed; this puzzle’s purple group relies on word endings rather than ordinary meaning.
Where to play and what happens to the archive
Connections is a free daily New York Times word game available on the NYT website and in the official Games app. The archive is available to All Access or Games subscribers.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
