NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 19, 2026

Today, NYT Connections hints provide meanings for each word in the October 19, 2026 puzzle. Alibis refer to a legal defense or evidence proving a person was elsewhere during a crime. Balloons are flexible, nonporous bags that can hold air or lighter-than-air gas. Escrow is a neutral third-party arrangement for holding funds or documents until a deal is completed.

Mohawk is a hairstyle with shaved sides and a center strip of hair. Flurry signifies a brief, light snowfall causing minimal accumulation. Muffin is a quick bread with egg batter baked in a cup-like mold. Nuggets are bite-sized pieces of fried chicken or fish. Rib refers to the curved bones in a human or animal chest, protecting internal organs.

Boil is the process of a liquid turning into vapor due to heat. Fume is toxic air pollution or chemical vapor. Rave is an enthusiastic review or praise. Want more tech and digital culture updates? Subscribe to Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or enable push alerts. Steam is water in its gaseous or mist form. Blather means idle, rambling speech or running on.

Gas is a fundamental state of matter with freely moving particles and no fixed shape or volume. Hot air is air heated to raise its temperature and energy, causing molecules to spread further apart. Wind is the natural horizontal movement of air across Earth's surface. If the meanings learned still require assistance, check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

For those also playing NYT Strands, get all the Strands hints needed for today's puzzle. Discover Mashable's list of content creators shaping the internet today. For additional puzzles, check out Mashable's games hub featuring Mahjong, Sudoku, a free crossword, and more. For a different day, here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.