Today’s puzzle combined impersonators, vintage vocabulary, nickname-based phrases, and sports venue wordplay into four clever categories.
The yellow and green groups were easier to identify, while the blue and purple groups relied on hidden word patterns.
The purple category proved the trickiest by connecting phrases that begin with names of sports venues.
The New York Times Connections puzzle returns with another entertaining challenge, asking players to sort 16 seemingly unrelated words into four hidden categories. Today’s puzzle blends impersonators, old-fashioned terms, nickname-based expressions, and clever wordplay involving sports venues. Several words appear to fit multiple groups, making this one of the more deceptive Connections puzzles in recent days.
If you’re stuck, the hints below gradually reveal the puzzle before giving away the complete answers.
Here is one representative word from each category:
Yellow Category: MOCKINGBIRD
Green Category: SPECTACLES
Blue Category: RICH TEXT
Purple Category: FIELD MOUSE
Additional clues for today’s groups include:
Yellow Group: Think of things that imitate or mimic something else.
Green Group: Older names for items people still use today.
Blue Group: Every answer starts with a familiar nickname.
Purple Group: Each phrase begins with the name of a sports venue.
Need another hint? Here are today’s category titles:
Yellow Group: They Impersonate Other Things
Green Group: Old-Timey Names for Things We Still Use
Blue Group: Starting With Nicknames
Purple Group: Starting With Sports Venues
The yellow category focuses on things known for imitation or mimicry. The green group features outdated names that remain recognizable today. The blue category includes phrases beginning with common nicknames, while the purple group hides sports venue names at the beginning of each answer.
The complete solutions for the July 2, 2026 puzzle are:
Yellow List: They Impersonate Other Things
COPYCAT
MIME
MOCKINGBIRD
T-1000
Green List: Old-Timey Names for Things We Still Use
LOOKING GLASS
SPECTACLES
TALKIE (Some players may see GRAMOPHONE instead.)
WATER CLOSET
Blue List: Starting With Nicknames
BILLY GOAT
DAN DAN NOODLES
RICH TEXT
TOM-TOM
Purple List: Starting With Sports Venues
COURT JESTER
DIAMOND RING
FIELD MOUSE
TRACK RECORD
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle rewarded players who looked beyond literal meanings and focused on hidden word patterns. The impersonators and old-fashioned names were relatively approachable, but the nickname-based phrases and sports venue wordplay made the final two groups significantly more challenging. It was a satisfying puzzle that balanced straightforward logic with clever linguistic twists.