Today’s NYT Connections #1045 has a movie-lover’s twist — one category is built entirely around one-word James Bond film titles. If you’re not a 007 fan, that purple tier could trip you up. Here’s everything you need, from gentle category hints all the way to the full answers.
What Is NYT Connections?
New York Times word games include Connections, one of the most popular daily puzzles online. The premise is simple: you’re given 16 words, and you must sort them into four groups of four based on a hidden shared theme.
Each group is color-coded by difficulty. Yellow is the easiest group, green is moderate, blue is harder, and purple is the most challenging. The tricky part is that many words could plausibly belong to more than one category — misdirection is baked into every puzzle.
Connections was developed with the help of associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu and launched as part of the NYT Games section. It quickly became a social media favorite, with players sharing their color-coded result grids after each attempt.
How to Play
- You have 16 words on the board and must find four groups of four, each sharing a common theme.
- Select four words you think belong together and tap “Submit.” If correct, those words are removed from the board.
- A wrong guess costs you one of your four allowed mistakes. Use them all and the game ends.
- You can shuffle and rearrange the board at any time to help spot patterns you might be missing.
Category Hints — No Answers Yet
Not ready for the full solution? Here are vague hints for each color tier, designed to nudge your thinking without spoiling the fun.
🟨 Yellow: Think about moving at a relaxed, unhurried pace — not running, not even walking briskly.
🟩 Green: This category is full of words you’d use when someone is talking absolute nonsense.
🟦 Blue: These words all describe a specific kind of bag — the kind you carry, not the kind you pack for a trip.
🟪 Purple: Each word in this group is the first part of a one-word title from a very famous spy franchise.
Category Names — Getting Warmer
Here are today’s four category names, still without the words:
🟨 AMBLE (IN) 🟩 BALDERDASH 🟦 KINDS OF BAGS 🟪 STARTS OF ONE-WORD JAMES BOND MOVIE TITLES
Full Answers for Connections #1045
Ready for the complete solution? Here it is:
🟨 AMBLE (IN): BREEZE, MOSEY, STROLL, WALTZ
🟩 BALDERDASH: BALONEY, BILGE, BULL, BUNK
🟦 KINDS OF BAGS: CROSSBODY, HOBO, MESSENGER, SADDLE
🟪 STARTS OF ONE-WORD JAMES BOND MOVIE TITLES: GOLD, MOON, OCTOPUS, THUNDER
What Made Today Tricky
The purple category was the sneakiest part of this puzzle. GOLD, MOON, OCTOPUS, and THUNDER are all common English words that could fit dozens of other categories — yet here they’re the first halves of Bond films: Goldfinger, Moonraker, Octopussy, and Thunderball. Without the Bond frame of reference, it’s very easy to throw one of these into the wrong group.
BULL and BUNK were also potential traps. BULL looks like it could fit a “animals” or “stock market” category, while BUNK might seem to belong in a “sleep” or “nonsense things kids say” group. But both are firmly in the BALDERDASH category alongside BALONEY and BILGE — all words meaning rubbish or nonsense.
WALTZ was the other curveball. It’s most commonly known as a ballroom dance, but the puzzle uses its secondary meaning: to walk or move in a casual, carefree way. That’s what locked it into the AMBLE (IN) category with BREEZE, MOSEY, and STROLL.
Finally, HOBO feels out of place next to CROSSBODY and MESSENGER — but a hobo bag is a real style of slouchy shoulder bag, making it a legitimate member of the KINDS OF BAGS group.
Tips for Today’s Puzzle
- Start with Balderdash. BALONEY, BILGE, BULL, and BUNK are all recognizable slang for nonsense, and this group has the least overlap with other possible categories. Getting it out of the way clears the board.
- Watch out for WALTZ. The dance meaning is a red herring. In today’s puzzle, it means to stroll in casually — right alongside BREEZE, MOSEY, and STROLL.
- Think James Bond before you think colors or animals. GOLD, MOON, OCTOPUS, and THUNDER all seem unrelated on their own. Ask yourself: could these start Bond movie titles? (Goldfinger, Moonraker, Octopussy, Thunderball — yes.)
- Know your bag styles. CROSSBODY, HOBO, MESSENGER, and SADDLE are all specific bag types. If you’re unsure about HOBO, remember it’s a popular slouchy handbag style — not a person.
More Daily Puzzle Answers
Looking for more puzzle help? Check out these recent articles:
- April 20, 2026 NYT Connections Puzzle #1044 Hints and Answers
- April 19, 2026 NYT Connections Puzzle #1043 Hints and Answers
- April 16, 2026 NYT Connections Puzzle #1040 Hints and Answers
- April 20, 2026 Wordle #1766 Hint and Answer
- “Catch the Light” April 20, 2026 NYT Strands Hints and Answers
- April 20, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
Shahid Maqsood is a digital entrepreneur and SEO specialist focused on building engaging web experiences. He is the creator of DotWordle, combining creativity with smart, user-friendly design.
