A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #1144
hints & answers for July 29, 2026

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 29, 2026. 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 N, R, S and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

NAIL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FASTENERS

Reveal all four words
  • NAIL
  • RIVET
  • SCREW
  • STAPLE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, M, P and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BASIC belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

NONDESCRIPT

Reveal all four words
  • BASIC
  • MID
  • PLAIN
  • VANILLA

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with G, N, P and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

GEM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

UNITS OF WISDOM

Reveal all four words
  • GEM
  • NUGGET
  • PEARL
  • WORD

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

BLACK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM

Reveal all four words
  • BLACK
  • CHALK
  • CORK
  • WHITE

Each entry comes before "BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM" to form a word, expression or name: BLACK → BLACK BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM; CHALK → CHALK BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM; CORK → CORK BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM; WHITE → WHITE BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: FASTENERS
  • Green: NONDESCRIPT
  • Blue: UNITS OF WISDOM
  • Purple: ___BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

FASTENERS

NAIL · RIVET · SCREW · STAPLE

Green

NONDESCRIPT

BASIC · MID · PLAIN · VANILLA

Blue

UNITS OF WISDOM

GEM · NUGGET · PEARL · WORD

Purple

___BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM

BLACK · CHALK · CORK · WHITE

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.