NEW YORK — The New York Times released its latest Connections puzzle at midnight local time Monday, featuring words for anger, empty talk, fast food favorites and a purple category with birds hiding in plain sight.

Puzzle No. 1226 includes several words with overlapping meanings that could tempt players into the wrong groups. Below are hints for each category, followed by the full solution. Readers who want to avoid spoilers should stop before the answers section.

How Connections works

Connections presents a grid of 16 words that players must sort into four groups of four based on a shared theme. Each puzzle has only one correct solution.

The groups are color-coded by difficulty: yellow is the easiest, followed by green, blue and purple, the hardest. Players can make four mistakes before the game ends.

The 16 words on Monday's board are: MOHAWK, MUFFIN, HOT AIR, BALLOON, RAVE,........

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