Need help with NYT Connections for Sunday, March 15, 2026? Puzzle #1008 begins with gentle clues, then reveals the category names, followed by the complete answer grid and explanations of the trickier wordplay.
Spoiler warning: The hints below are arranged from gentlest to most revealing. The complete answers for NYT Connections puzzle #1008 appear farther down the page.
Need a nudge? Hints for Connections #1008
Try these clues before looking at the category names:
- Yellow: Follow, chase, or pursue.
- Green: Words associated with fair or honorable conduct.
- Blue: Familiar gifts a child might receive.
- Purple: Complete titles ending in “Girl.”
Still stuck? The four Connections categories
- Yellow: PURSUE
- Green: SPORTSMANLIKE
- Blue: CLASSIC KID GIFTS
- Purple: “____ GIRL” TITLES
Full answers for NYT Connections on March 15
Here is the complete solution for Sunday, March 15, 2026, puzzle #1008:
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| Category | Answers |
|---|---|
| PURSUE | HOUND, SHADOW, TAIL, TRACK |
| SPORTSMANLIKE | FAIR, HONEST, SPORTING, SQUARE |
| CLASSIC KID GIFTS | BIKE, BOOK, TOY, VIDEO GAME |
| “____ GIRL” TITLES | GONE, GOSSIP, NEW, WORKING |
Yellow: Words meaning pursue
HOUND, SHADOW, TAIL, and TRACK all relate to following or pursuing someone or something. “Hound” may give solvers pause because it can mean persistently bother or harass someone, but it also works directly as a verb meaning to pursue.
Green: Sportsmanlike behavior
FAIR, HONEST, SPORTING, and SQUARE describe fair, honorable, or aboveboard conduct. “Square” is the deceptive entry: although it can mean conventional or unfashionable in casual speech, a “square” person can also be fair and honorable.
Blue: Classic gifts for children
BIKE, BOOK, TOY, and VIDEO GAME are familiar child-oriented gifts. This category is broad enough to create distractions. BOOK and VIDEO GAME might initially look like entertainment or media terms, while TOY and BIKE point more obviously toward presents.
Purple: Titles completed by “Girl”
GONE, GOSSIP, NEW, and WORKING become familiar titles when followed by “Girl”:
- Gone Girl
- Gossip Girl
- New Girl
- Working Girl
This is the most wordplay-driven group. The four entries do not share an ordinary definition; they connect only when paired with the same final word.
What makes this grid deceptive?
The pursuit group offers a useful early foothold: SHADOW, TAIL, and TRACK all suggest following, with HOUND completing the set. The next likely connection is FAIR, HONEST, and SPORTING, leaving SQUARE as the less obvious synonym for fair or honorable.
Rank #3
The gift group can be harder to recognize because it mixes everyday objects with entertainment-related items. The final group depends on spotting title completions rather than looking for a shared meaning. If four words seem unrelated, try adding the same word before or after each one; that is often how the purple category works.
When was Connections #1008 released?
Connections #1008 is the puzzle for March 15, 2026. The New York Times releases the daily Connections game at midnight in each player’s time zone, so publication dates and local availability can appear out of sequence. For example, a page published on March 14 in one time zone may still be covering the puzzle labeled March 15 elsewhere.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsConnections can be played through the New York Times Games app and the Connections website. The game is currently free to play on all platforms. Eligible New York Times subscribers can also access the complete Connections archive, which reaches back to June 12, 2023.
Rank #4
Want more Connections puzzles?
If you enjoy the category-matching format beyond the daily grid, the official Connections: Find the Common Threads in 100+ Puzzles of Wit and Wordplay collects more than 100 additional puzzles in print. The hardcover is from The New York Times Games and Wyna Liu and includes exclusive puzzles, varied difficulty, behind-the-scenes insights, and variations on the classic 4-by-4 format. Its listed publication date is October 22, 2026, so retailer availability and regional stock should be checked before ordering. It is not presented as containing puzzle #1008.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
What are the categories for Connections #1008?
NYT Connections puzzle #1008, released on March 15, 2026, has four categories: PURSUE; SPORTSMANLIKE; CLASSIC KID GIFTS; and “____ GIRL” TITLES.
What is the yellow group in Connections on March 15?
The four answers are HOUND, SHADOW, TAIL, and TRACK.
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The purple answers are GONE, GOSSIP, NEW, and WORKING, which form Gone Girl, Gossip Girl, New Girl, and Working Girl.
Best Value
When was Connections #1008 released?
The March 15, 2026 puzzle is Connections #1008. The daily game is released at midnight in each player’s time zone, so the local release can differ by geography.
The Bottom Line
The March 15, 2026 Connections solution is built around pursuit terms, sportsmanlike conduct, classic children’s gifts, and titles completed by “Girl.” The full groups are HOUND, SHADOW, TAIL, TRACK; FAIR, HONEST, SPORTING, SQUARE; BIKE, BOOK, TOY, VIDEO GAME; and GONE, GOSSIP, NEW, WORKING.
Quick Recap
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