NYT Connections — August 23, 2026

Today's board moves from things that could go off in a volatile situation, to words hiding two of the same vowel in a row, to things made using potatoes, and finally to common household products that lift stains.

Yellow (easiest): each phrase describes a tense situation or object that could blow up at any moment, literally or figuratively.

Green: look closely at the spelling of each word — every one repeats the same vowel letter twice in a row.

Blue: every one of these foods, drinks, or objects starts from potatoes as a key ingredient.

Purple (hardest): each of these is something you'd reach for in the kitchen or laundry room to scrub out a stubborn stain.