NYT Connections · Puzzle #1146
Connections Hints & Answers
Friday, July 31, 2026
Stuck on today's puzzle? Start with a gentle hint for each group, reveal the category when you need more, or open the full solution below. No spoilers until you tap.
Today's 16 words
- SLIME
- PLUMBER
- FASHION
- DINOSAUR
- MUSHROOM
- GLEEK
- MOLD
- PRINCESS
- CHEERIOS
- DAPPLE
- MODEL
- JOYSTICK
- SPEAR
- JDATE
- SHAPE
- FUNGUS
Hints for each group
Reveal only as much as you want: a nudge, then the category name, then the four words.
💡 Show hint
🏷️ Show category
✅ Show the four words
💡 Show hint
🏷️ Show category
✅ Show the four words
💡 Show hint
🏷️ Show category
✅ Show the four words
💡 Show hint
🏷️ Show category
✅ Show the four words
Full answers
⚠️ Reveal all answers for Friday, July 31, 2026
CONSTRUCT
FASHION · MODEL · MOLD · SHAPE
SUPER MARIO FIGURES
DINOSAUR · MUSHROOM · PLUMBER · PRINCESS
FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER
DAPPLE · JDATE · SLIME · SPEAR
STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS
CHEERIOS · FUNGUS · GLEEK · JOYSTICK
How to use these hints
Each group has three levels of help. Show hint gives you a clue with no words named — enough to get unstuck. Still lost? Show category names the connection, and Show the four words confirms the group. Reveal one group at a time and you can finish with a nudge instead of the whole answer.
What is NYT Connections?
Connections is a daily word game from The New York Times. You're given 16 words and must sort them into four hidden groups of four, where each group shares a connection. It sounds simple, but words are deliberately placed to fit more than one group — the challenge is spotting the real link. You get four mistakes before the game ends.
What the four colors mean
- Yellow — Straightforward
- Green — Medium
- Blue — Tricky
- Purple — Trickiest
Purple is famous for wordplay: hidden words, homophones, or a word that completes a phrase. When a group won't click, it's often the trickiest color hiding in plain sight.
Tips to solve Connections
- Start with the group you're most sure of, but don't submit until you've found a home for all 16 words.
- Watch for overlap traps — a word that seems to fit yellow may really belong to purple.
- Look for wordplay: hidden words, homophones, or a shared word that finishes a phrase.
- Solve the other three groups first; the last four words sort themselves.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to today's Connections?
The full solution — all four categories and their words — is in the “Reveal all answers” box above. We keep it behind a click so you can peek only when you want to.
How many mistakes can you make in Connections?
Four. Each wrong group of four costs a life, and you lose after four mistakes — so use the hints to confirm a group before you commit.
What do the Connections colors mean?
Yellow is the most straightforward group, green is a step harder, blue is tricky, and purple is the trickiest — often involving wordplay, hidden words, or a twist.
When does a new Connections puzzle come out?
The New York Times releases a new Connections puzzle every day at midnight in your local time. We post fresh hints for it each morning.