The NYT Connections puzzle for July 31, 2026, delivers another enjoyable mix of logic, wordplay, and hidden relationships.
Today's grid features categories inspired by construction, Super Mario characters, fruit-based word twists, and playful prefixes, making it a balanced challenge for both new and experienced players.
If you're stuck, this guide includes spoiler-free hints, category clues, and the complete answers to help you solve the puzzle with confidence.
Excited to solve NYT Connections today? Like other word puzzles, Connections presents a complex grid that reveals nothing at first glance. Players will find sixteen unrelated words that need to be categorized. The objective is to arrange them properly in four categories to solve the puzzle.
Today’s NYT Connections is all about constructions, Super Mario Figures, Fruits with a catch, etc. Finding the correct four words to make each set may require some help, so read on!
NYT experts rate the Connections puzzles out of 5 to hint at the difficulty level. Today’s one is rated 2.8 out of 5. Players’ personal ratings may differ, but today’s themes, according to the experts, seem easy to solve. For those who are struggling to figure it out, here are the hints to make the process easier:
Easiest Group (Yellow): Today’s yellow group words are about building something.
Moderate Group (Green): If you are fond of Nintendo games, these terms are extremely familiar to you.
Challenging Group (Blue): Think of fruits with an additional letter.
Most Difficult Group (Purple): To find these words, find words that start with fun words.
Also Read: Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers for July 30, 2026 (Puzzle #879)
Solvers must have reached near the themes of today’s Connections with the above hints, but if you are still confused, here are the solutions:
Yellow Category (CONSTRUCT): FASHION, MODEL, MOLD, SHAPE
Green Category (SUPER MARIO FIGURES): DINOSAUR, MUSHROOM, PLUMBER, PRINCESS
Blue Category (FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER): DAPPLE, JDATE, SLIME, SPEAR
Purple Category (STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS): CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK, JOYSTICK
For further clarity, check out the image below:
These are the four categories for today’s puzzle, and hopefully, most players have guessed the word sets without the answer. So, congratulations to all who have solved it!
If you have solved today’s puzzle but missed out on a few of the week’s, below are the answers to some of the previous day's NYT Connections:
| Date | Puzzle # | Yellow Group | Green Group | Blue Group | Purple Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 30, 2026 | #1145 | FAIR, GOOD, JUST, RIGHT | BEER PONG, BINGO, JUGGLING, POOL | CARNIVAL, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, VIKING | DOT, MARK, MONEY, NOSE |
| July 29, 2026 | #1144 | NAIL, RIVET, SCREW, STAPLE | BASIC, MID, PLAIN, VANILLA | GEM, NUGGET, PEARL, WORD | BLACK, CHALK, CORK, WHITE |
| July 28, 2026 | #1143 | CAPTAIN, DIRECT, HEAD, LEAD | EMPIRE, FUJI, GALA, HONEYCRISP | CAMPER, CLARKS, CONVERSE, CROCS | ANNAPOLIS, BOBSLED, EVEREST, OTTOMAN |
| July 27, 2026 | #1142 | BEAM, HORSE, RINGS, VAULT | CARROT, ICICLE, KNITTING NEEDLE, STALACTITE | DOPPLER, GRAVEYARD, PARADIGM, STICK | BELL, CART, HEART, MAGNIFYING GLASS |
| July 26, 2026 | #1141 | CRAWLING, FIRST WORDS, ROLLING OVER, SOLID FOOD | BLACKBERRY, DISCMAN, DVD PLAYER, PLASMA TV | APRIL SHOWERS, LIQUID SUNSHINE, SCOTCH MIST, WET WEATHER | CARAPACE, GAS STATION, PASTRY CRUST, ROWING BOAT |
| July 25, 2026 | #1140 | ABUELA, HIJO, MADRE, PRIMO | CHOKE, MIST, TEAR, WELL | KWANZA, LEONE, NAIRA, RAND | CLUB, MALL, POKER, STEAK |
| July 24, 2026 | #1139 | BABBLE, DRONE, RAMBLE, YAK | HOME RUN, SINGLE, STRIKEOUT, WALK | JOG, PROMPT, REFRESH, SPARK | CANTER, FRYER, LLAMA, NONE |
NYT Connections is tricky. That’s the most attractive part of this puzzle as well. This puzzle appeals to those who love challenges. Unlike other puzzles, this one offers four different themes every day, making it both complicated and exciting. These themes never get repeated. Therefore, the solutions require a solid vocabulary to identify connections between words.
Also Read: NYT Wordle Hints, Answers for July 30, 2026: Expert Walkthrough