Issue #397 Fri 12 Jul
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — July 12, 2024
A steady climb today, with paths that split between direct associations and a few tighter, word-based traps. Keep an eye on the overlap as you organize the grid.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The hallway smell of floor wax, a stack of permission slips, and the heavy thud of a locker door closing.
Academic architecture
Synonymous collection
Members are 3–10 letters; first letters A, G, L.
SCHOOL FACILITIES
One is AUDITORIUM.
AUDITORIUM · GYM · LAB · LIBRARY
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
A spinning wheel, a small white ball, and the house holding its breath.
Casino gaming terminology
Synonymous collection
Members are 3–5 letters; first letters B, E, O, R.
ROULETTE BETS
One is BLACK.
BLACK · EVEN · ODD · RED
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
A gentle coo on the windowsill, a bar wrapped in gold foil, and a bar of suds by the sink.
Common word associations
Word association
Members are 4–9 letters; first letters C, P, S.
ASSOCIATED WITH “DOVE”
One is CHOCOLATE.
CHOCOLATE · PEACE · PIGEON · SOAP
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
A nursery rhyme read aloud, a dusty bottle in the cellar, and a child giggling at a silly story.
Phrasal completions
Fill-in-the-blank sequence
Members are 4–6 letters; first letters G, M, S.
___ GOOSE
One is GREY.
GREY · GOLDEN · MOTHER · SILLY
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
-
Reveal the yellow group
SCHOOL FACILITIESAUDITORIUM · GYM · LAB · LIBRARY
-
Reveal the green group
ROULETTE BETSBLACK · EVEN · ODD · RED
-
Reveal the blue group
ASSOCIATED WITH “DOVE”CHOCOLATE · PEACE · PIGEON · SOAP
-
Reveal the violet group
___ GOOSEGREY · GOLDEN · MOTHER · SILLY
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on July 12, 2024. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for July 12, 2024, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on July 12, 2024?
NYT Connections on July 12, 2024 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on July 12, 2024?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #397?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words