A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #751
hints & answers for July 1, 2025

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows July 1, 2025. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.

Which group has you stuck?

Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
Gentle hint

Take something without the owner's permission.

Show one word

NICK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STEAL

Reveal all four words
  • NICK
  • PALM
  • PINCH
  • POCKET

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, D, S and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BRUSH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DO SOME GROOMING

Reveal all four words
  • BRUSH
  • DRESS
  • SHAVE
  • SHOWER

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with N, S, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

NEAT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DAPPER

Reveal all four words
  • NEAT
  • SHARP
  • SMART
  • TIDY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

BIRTH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___STONE

Reveal all four words
  • BIRTH
  • KEY
  • MILE
  • TOUCH

Each entry comes before "STONE" to form a word, expression or name: BIRTH → BIRTH STONE; KEY → KEY STONE; MILE → MILE STONE; TOUCH → TOUCH STONE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: STEAL
  • Green: DO SOME GROOMING
  • Blue: DAPPER
  • Purple: ___STONE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

STEAL

NICK · PALM · PINCH · POCKET

Green

DO SOME GROOMING

BRUSH · DRESS · SHAVE · SHOWER

Blue

DAPPER

NEAT · SHARP · SMART · TIDY

Purple

___STONE

BIRTH · KEY · MILE · TOUCH

This puzzle’s recorded solution

The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.

About the answers and hints

Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.

Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.

The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.