NYT Connections Game #1128 for July 13 is live, and the 16-word grid throws up a neat mix of surface-level items and trickier lexical links.
There are four tidy groups today, from straightforward physical objects to a prefix-based smooch set that will block a lot of solvers until the end.
SPOILER WARNING: The sections below name today’s groups and list the answers — if you want to work the puzzle yourself first, stop reading now.
Today’s NYT Connections words
Here are the 16 words shown on the board today:
- UMBRELLA | SALEM | BUCKET | QUESTION
- PUSS | GRILL | PUMP | KISSER
- MUG | FIGARO | SMACKDOWN | DRAWER
- EXAMINE | BUSSIN | TOM | PECKISH
Today’s NYT Connections hints
One-line, spoiler-light nudges for each group.
- 🟡 Yellow: Four words share a sense of probing or extracting information.
- 🟢 Green: Four everyday objects you pick up by a specific part.
- 🔵 Blue: A quartet of well-known fictional felines.
- 🟣 Purple: Each word begins with a shorter word that is a synonym for a kiss.
Today’s NYT Connections group titles
- 🟡 Yellow: INTERROGATE
- 🟢 Green: THINGS WITH HANDLES
- 🔵 Blue: FICTIONAL CATS
- 🟣 Purple: STARTING WITH SMOOCHES
What are today’s NYT Connections answers?
Below are the four correct groups and the words that belong to each.
| Colour | Group | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 🟡 Yellow | INTERROGATE | EXAMINE, GRILL, PUMP, QUESTION |
| 🟢 Green | THINGS WITH HANDLES | BUCKET, DRAWER, MUG, UMBRELLA |
| 🔵 Blue | FICTIONAL CATS | FIGARO, PUSS, SALEM, TOM |
| 🟣 Purple | STARTING WITH SMOOCHES | BUSSIN, KISSER, PECKISH, SMACKDOWN |
Today’s Connections — expert analysis
The natural entry point is the INTERROGATE set — EXAMINE and QUESTION jump out immediately, and GRILL feels like a synonym rather than the cooking appliance. That gives you a safe early four if you spot PUMP as in “pump someone for information” rather than the literal device.
The trickiest cluster is STARTING WITH SMOOCHES. It’s a prefix-based theme, which tends to be stealthier: BUSSIN (buss), KISSER (kiss), PECKISH (peck) and SMACKDOWN (smack) all start with short words meaning a kiss, but a few of those entries carry strong surface meanings that steer solvers elsewhere — PECKISH reads as “a little hungry,” SMACKDOWN reads as an event or attack, and BUSSIN’s slang spelling can be missed. Watch out for cross-temptations: PUMP and GRILL look like they could belong with physical objects, and MUG could lure you toward INTERROGATE if you think of “to mug” (rob) or a face, but MUG sits firmly in THINGS WITH HANDLES with BUCKET, DRAWER and UMBRELLA.
If you get stuck, lock in EXAMINE or QUESTION early — they’re unambiguous and safe — and then clear the handles group next by grabbing BUCKET, MUG, DRAWER or UMBRELLA. That strategy leaves the two trickier abstract sets to resolve with fewer decoys in play.
Difficulty: 3.5/5 — four tidy groups but a few tempting double-meanings and a prefix-based set that hides until the end.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Game #1127)
For reference, here are yesterday’s groups and answers.
- 🟡 Yellow (REPRODUCTIVE PART OF FRUIT): PIP, PIT, SEED, STONE
- 🟢 Green (BIT OF FRUIT-FLAVORED CANDY): DOT, NERD, RUNT, SPREE
- 🔵 Blue (VERBS IN A COLLEGE LIFE SLOGAN): PARTY, REPEAT, SLEEP, STUDY
- 🟣 Purple (STARTS OF U.S. CAPITALS): DEN, MAD, PHO, SAC
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections presents 16 words and challenges you to partition them into four groups of four that share a common link. The connections can be literal, lateral, prefix- or suffix-based, or rely on multiple meanings.
How to play NYT Connections
- Select groups of four words you think belong together.
- Confirm a group to lock it in; incorrect guesses reduce your remaining attempts.
- Repeat until you find all four categories or run out of tries.
Past week’s NYT Connections answers
Missed a day? Full solutions from earlier this week, newest first.
Game #1126 — July 11
- 🟡 CIRCUS EQUIPMENT: CANNON, STILTS, TRAPEZE, UNICYCLE
- 🟢 UNDISTURBED, AS WATER: CALM, FLAT, GLASSY, STILL
- 🔵 “TOY STORY” CHARACTERS: BO PEEP, JESSIE, SLINKY, WOODY
- 🟣 DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER’S ALPHABETICAL POSITION: AARDVARK, BOCCE, EBBING, TWIDDLE
Game #1125 — July 10
- 🟡 SMARTPHONE SETTINGS: AIRPLANE MODE, DO NOT DISTURB, HOTSPOT, LOCATION SERVICES
- 🟢 DESSERT MENU DESCRIPTORS: DECADENT, FRESH-BAKED, MOLTEN, À LA MODE
- 🔵 ’80S SYNTH-POP BANDS: DEPECHE MODE, ERASURE, NEW ORDER, PET SHOP BOYS
- 🟣 STARTING WITH BASEBALL CALLS: BALL GOWN, OUTKAST, SAFE MODE, STRIKE A POSE
Game #1124 — July 9
- 🟡 NON-ALCOHOLIC DESIGNATORS: NA, SPIRIT-FREE, VIRGIN, ZERO-PROOF
- 🟢 MUSIC PUBLICATIONS: BILLBOARD, PITCHFORK, ROLLING STONE, SPIN
- 🔵 KINDS OF RUGS: PERSIAN, PRAYER, SHAG, THROW
- 🟣 PONTIAC MODELS: FIREBIRD, G6, GRAND PRIX, TRANS AM
Game #1123 — July 8
- 🟡 CUT INTO THIN PIECES: GRATE, PLANE, SHAVE, SLIVER
- 🟢 MOTIF: DRIFT, PLOT, THEME, THREAD
- 🔵 GUITAR-PLAYING TECHNIQUES: PICK, PLUCK, STRUM, TAP
- 🟣 HOUSE OF ___: CARDS, LORDS, WAX, WORSHIP
Game #1122 — July 7
- 🟡 ROOMS IN CLUE: CONSERVATORY, HALL, KITCHEN, STUDY
- 🟢 STUDENT-ATHLETE DESIGNATIONS: ALL-AMERICAN, JOCK, LETTERMAN, TEAM CAPTAIN
- 🔵 ___ TWIST: FRENCH, LEMON, OLIVER, PLOT
- 🟣 ENDING IN “SESAME STREET” CHARACTERS: BERNIE, COLBERT, DISCOUNT, SAN ANSELMO
Game #1121 — July 6
- 🟡 STUNNING NEWS: BOMBSHELL, REVELATION, SHOCKER, THUNDERBOLT
- 🟢 SCIENCE FAIR MODEL SUBJECTS: ATOM, DNA, SOLAR SYSTEM, VOLCANO
- 🔵 ACME PRODUCTS USED BY WILE E. COYOTE: EARTHQUAKE PILLS, IRON BIRD SEED, ROCKET SKATES, TNT
- 🟣 STARTING WITH DATING APPS: BUMBLEBEE, GRIND RAIL, MATCHA, TINDERBOX
More daily puzzle help from HashTechWave
- Today’s NYT Strands hints, spangram and answers
- Today’s NYT Spelling Bee answers and pangram
- Today’s Wordle hints, clues and answer
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What time does a new NYT Connections puzzle unlock?
A brand-new puzzle drops every single night at midnight local time across your specific region’s time zone on NYT Connection official site.
Why do some words seem to fit into two different groups?
The puzzle is specifically designed to include “decoys” or overlapping vocabulary. Always look for a backup configuration of words before locking in an early guess to protect your attempt counter.
Can I review answers to older puzzles?
Yes — we keep the past week of solutions right here on this page. Scroll up to the “Past week’s NYT Connections answers” section for every recent grid, newest first, plus a full breakdown of yesterday’s puzzle.
