NYT Connections #1014 for Saturday, March 21, 2026, groups its words into DIRECT, TARGET, CHECKERS TERMS, and 20TH-CENTURY AMERICAN POETS. Read the lighter and stronger clues first if you want to keep the full solution hidden.
Looking for the NYT Connections answers for Saturday, March 21, 2026? Puzzle #1014 divides the 16 words into groups meaning direct, referring to a target, associated with checkers, and surnames of notable American poets.
Spoiler warning: The graduated clues come first. The complete Connections answers appear below the spoiler break.
NYT Connections hints for Saturday, March 21
Try these clues in order, starting with the lightest hints. They are designed to point you toward each category without immediately giving away every word.
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#1 Best Overall
Yellow hint: Direct
Four words can describe communication that is clear, candid, blunt, or straightforward rather than indirect.
Green hint: Target
Four words can refer to a goal, a mark, an object of attention, or a point toward which something is directed.
Blue hint: Checkers
Four words belong to the vocabulary of the board game played on a checkered board. Think about taking an opponent’s piece, moving over it, reaching the far side, and the upgraded piece that results.
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
Purple hint: 20th-century American poets
Four words are surnames. The poets’ first names include Elizabeth, Robert, Ezra, and Adrienne.
Stronger clues for Connections #1014
- Yellow: Synonyms or near-synonyms for “blunt,” “frank,” “plain,” and “straight.”
- Green: Think of a goal, a mark, an object being singled out, or a point to be hit.
- Blue: The group includes terms for taking pieces, promoting a piece, and moving over an opposing piece.
- Purple: The surnames are associated with Elizabeth, Robert, Ezra, and Adrienne.
Today’s Connections words
The 16 words in Saturday’s puzzle are:
BISHOP, BLUNT, CAPTURE, CROWN, FRANK, FROST, GOAL, JUMP, KING, MARK, OBJECT, PLAIN, POINT, POUND, RICH, STRAIGHT
NYT Connections answers for March 21, 2026
Full spoilers below.
Yellow: DIRECT
BLUNT, FRANK, PLAIN, STRAIGHT
Each of these words can describe direct communication or expression. Someone who is blunt or frank speaks candidly; something plain or straight can be clear and free of detours or hidden meaning.
Rank #3
- "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: TARGET
GOAL, MARK, OBJECT, POINT
These words can identify something aimed at, selected for attention, or treated as an objective. A goal is something to achieve, a mark can be something to hit, an object can be the focus of an action, and a point can indicate the intended direction or target.
Blue: CHECKERS TERMS
CAPTURE, CROWN, JUMP, KING
In checkers, a player captures an opposing piece by jumping over it, and a jump is the move used to pass over an opponent’s piece. A checker that reaches the far end of the board is crowned; the resulting king has expanded movement compared with an ordinary checker.
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The category is useful even if you do not regularly play checkers: “capture,” “crown,” “jump,” and “king” describe different parts of the game’s movement and promotion rules. A classic checkers set can make those terms easier to visualize, but you do not need one to solve this puzzle.
Purple: 20TH-CENTURY AMERICAN POETS
BISHOP, FROST, POUND, RICH
These are the surnames of four major American poets associated with 20th-century poetry: Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Frost, Ezra Pound, and Adrienne Rich. The connection is their identity as poets; the group does not suggest that they shared the same style, movement, or career.
Why this puzzle can suggest chess
The blue category contains a deliberate-looking board-game trap. BISHOP and KING are both chess pieces, while JUMP may also encourage a chess-related line of thought. But they do not belong together here: BISHOP is one of the poets’ surnames, while KING belongs with the checkers terms.
That overlap makes it safer to test the words against all four categories before committing. Once the poetry group is recognized, BISHOP is removed from the board-game possibility, leaving CAPTURE, CROWN, JUMP, and KING as the clean checkers set.
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A practical solving order
- Start with DIRECT: BLUNT, FRANK, PLAIN, and STRAIGHT form the most immediately recognizable synonym group.
- Look for TARGET: GOAL, MARK, OBJECT, and POINT all describe something pursued, selected, or aimed at.
- Separate the board-game terms: CAPTURE, CROWN, JUMP, and KING describe checkers rather than chess.
- Use the remaining words for the literary group: BISHOP, FROST, POUND, and RICH are the four poet surnames.
Want more Connections-style puzzles?
After solving #1014, Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! is a relevant offline option. The 224-page hardcover collection contains New York Times Games-style material, including Connections adaptations. It is a source of additional or adapted puzzles—not a book containing the specific March 21, 2026 puzzle or its answers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
What are the NYT Connections answers for March 21, 2026?
The four groups are DIRECT (BLUNT, FRANK, PLAIN, STRAIGHT), TARGET (GOAL, MARK, OBJECT, POINT), CHECKERS TERMS (CAPTURE, CROWN, JUMP, KING), and 20TH-CENTURY AMERICAN POETS (BISHOP, FROST, POUND, RICH).
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Why aren’t BISHOP and KING in the same group?
BISHOP is Elizabeth Bishop, one of the four poet surnames. KING belongs with CAPTURE, CROWN, and JUMP as a checkers term.
The Bottom Line
The answers to NYT Connections #1014 for Saturday, March 21, 2026, are DIRECT, TARGET, CHECKERS TERMS, and 20TH-CENTURY AMERICAN POETS.
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