A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #768
hints & answers for July 18, 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 18, 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
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

RUN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SEQUENCE

Reveal all four words
  • RUN
  • SERIES
  • STREAK
  • STRING

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CATCH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PICK UP ON

Reveal all four words
  • CATCH
  • NOTE
  • SEE
  • SPOT

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BRIDGE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

YOGA BACKBENDS

Reveal all four words
  • BRIDGE
  • COBRA
  • COW
  • WHEEL

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

BLANKET belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ELECTRIC ___

Reveal all four words
  • BLANKET
  • EEL
  • GUITAR
  • SLIDE

Each entry comes after "ELECTRIC" to form a word, expression or name: BLANKET → ELECTRIC BLANKET; EEL → ELECTRIC EEL; GUITAR → ELECTRIC GUITAR; SLIDE → ELECTRIC SLIDE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: SEQUENCE
  • Green: PICK UP ON
  • Blue: YOGA BACKBENDS
  • Purple: ELECTRIC ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

SEQUENCE

RUN · SERIES · STREAK · STRING

Green

PICK UP ON

CATCH · NOTE · SEE · SPOT

Blue

YOGA BACKBENDS

BRIDGE · COBRA · COW · WHEEL

Purple

ELECTRIC ___

BLANKET · EEL · GUITAR · SLIDE

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.