This FluentSlang explainer covers Horse Gaits as it appeared in the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 27, 2026. Use it for the quick meaning, the puzzle trap, and the related same-day clues.
Horse Gaits meaning in this puzzle
Horse gaits are the different ways a horse moves, ordered from slow to fast: walk, trot, canter, gallop, and the lope. Each gait has its own rhythm and speed, a bit like gears on a bike.
Read this clue through the group label today's Connections group, then check whether the other answers point the same way.
Why It Showed Up In Connections
This clue came from the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 27, 2026. In that grid, it pointed toward today's Connections group.
The key is to test the whole group, not just the first meaning that pops into your head.
Why this clue can fool people
The dance word foxtrot only made the group because it ends in trot; you can read more in our foxtrot meaning explainer. And if you got fooled by the runway word, our catwalk meaning guide explains why it ends in “walk” but wasn’t part of this group.
How To Read It Fast
Start with the ordinary meaning of Horse Gaits, then ask whether the puzzle is using it as slang, a phrase, a category label, or a wordplay trick.
If the clue only matches one other answer, keep going. The correct Connections group should make all four answers feel like they belong together.
Quick Examples
Today’s Connections Explainers
These pages are built from the same puzzle, so they are the most relevant next reads.