NYT Connections Answer Today #1046 Wednesday, 22 April 2026

If you’re working through today’s NYT Connections puzzle (#1046) and need a helping hand, you’re in the right place. We’ll walk you through some hints before revealing the full answers — so stop scrolling when you’ve had enough help!

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NYT Connections Hints for 22 April (No Spoilers)

Here are four category-level clues for today’s Connections groups, ordered from easiest (Yellow) to trickiest (Purple):

Hint 1 — Yellow: Think of the wheel, the fire and the kiln — you’re in a studio.

Hint 2 — Green: Synonyms for hitting someone hard. These words pack a punch.

Hint 3 — Blue: These words look familiar, but say them as a place name and they sound completely different.

Hint 4 — Purple: Two words that complete a phrase — the first is a vehicle, the others are about charm and persuasion.

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⚠️ SPOILER BELOW — The answers to today’s NYT Connections (#1046) follow. Stop scrolling if you haven’t played yet.

Still thinking?

Take your time…

Last chance to look away…

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NYT Connections Answers for 22 April 2026

Here are all four groups and their answers for Connections puzzle #1046:

🟨 Yellow — Pottery Equipment

CLAY, GLAZE, KILN, WHEEL

These are the tools and materials of the ceramic artist — just like the iconic pottery scene in Ghost. A kiln is the high-temperature oven used to fire clay, while glaze gives finished pieces their smooth, often glossy coating.

🟩 Green — Wallop

DECK, PUNCH, SLUG, SOCK

Four words that all mean to hit something (or someone) hard. “Slug” and “sock” in particular are wonderfully British-sounding ways to describe a hefty thwack.

🟦 Blue — Words Pronounced Differently as Proper Nouns

HERB, NICE, POLISH, READING

This was reportedly the trickiest group today. Each of these common words takes on an entirely different pronunciation when used as a proper noun — HERB becomes “erb” in American English, NICE is the French city (“Neese”), POLISH becomes “Polish” (relating to Poland), and READING is the town in Berkshire, pronounced “Redding.”

🟪 Purple — Pick-Up ____

ARTIST, GAME, STICKS, TRUCK

Pick-up artist, pick-up game, pick-up sticks, pick-up truck. The Toyota Tacoma connection in the hint pointed firmly at TRUCK — but the full set is satisfyingly varied.

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How Did We Do Today?

Today’s puzzle had a sneaky middle difficulty — the Yellow and Purple groups were fairly accessible once the theme clicked, but the Blue category (words that sound different as proper nouns) was the real head-scratcher. If you got tripped up by READING or NICE, you’re in good company.

Share your score in the comments and let us know which group caught you out! For yesterday’s puzzle, check out our NYT Connections answer for Tuesday 21 April 2026.

If you’re a fan of daily word puzzles, you might also enjoy our coverage of the UK video games market hitting a record £8.76bn — proof that gaming culture in Britain has never been bigger.

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FAQ

Q: What is the NYT Connections answer today, 22 April 2026?

A: The four groups for Connections #1046 are: Yellow — Clay, Glaze, Kiln, Wheel (Pottery Equipment); Green — Deck, Punch, Slug, Sock (Wallop); Blue — Herb, Nice, Polish, Reading (Words pronounced differently as proper nouns); Purple — Artist, Game, Sticks, Truck (Pick-Up ____).

Q: How hard is today’s NYT Connections?

A: Today’s puzzle rates as medium difficulty. The Yellow and Purple categories are approachable, but the Blue group — words like NICE, READING, HERB, and POLISH that are pronounced differently as place names or nationalities — is the real challenge and may catch even experienced players off guard.