Issue #1138 Thu 23 Jul
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — July 23, 2026
A steady, rhythmic path through the grid today. Expect a few sharp turns before the final lines align.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The way a pocket feels heavy with a single toy, or the specific heft of fruit in the grocery store palm.
Common household objects
Items sharing one feature
Members are 5–8 letters; first letters B, G, M, O.
SPHERICAL THINGS
One is BASEBALL.
BASEBALL · GLOBE · MARBLE · ORANGE
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
Tapping your foot under the desk, checking the clock, or the hum of caffeine in your veins.
Emotional states
Synonyms
Members are 7–8 letters; first letters E, F, I.
IN AN ANXIOUS STATE
One is EXCITED.
EXCITED · FEBRILE · FRENETIC · INTENSE
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
Movement pauses here: some people wait, some machines rest, and marked ground keeps everything apart.
Aviation infrastructure
Examples of one named set
Members are 5–8 letters; first letters A, H, R, T.
PARTS OF AN AIRPORT
One is APRON.
APRON · HANGAR · RUNWAY · TERMINAL
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
A handful of everyday words leave clean lines and angles in their wake.
Wordplay
Each ends with a hidden item
Members are 6–7 letters; first letters A, D, F, J.
ENDING IN GEOMETRY TERMS
One is APPOINT.
APPOINT · DEPLANE · FELINE · JANGLE
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
SPHERICAL THINGSBASEBALL · GLOBE · MARBLE · ORANGE
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Reveal the green group
IN AN ANXIOUS STATEEXCITED · FEBRILE · FRENETIC · INTENSE
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Reveal the blue group
PARTS OF AN AIRPORTAPRON · HANGAR · RUNWAY · TERMINAL
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Reveal the violet group
ENDING IN GEOMETRY TERMSAPPOINT · DEPLANE · FELINE · JANGLE
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on July 23, 2026. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for July 23, 2026, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on July 23, 2026?
NYT Connections on July 23, 2026 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 23, 2026?
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 #1138?
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