NYT Connections Hints and Answers for July 2, 2026 (Solution #1117)

Fresh day, fresh challenge—time to tackle another New York Times Connections puzzle wall. If you’re just trying to protect your streak and you only need to finish off that one stubborn category, you’re in the right place: here are the hints and the completed answers.

Below you’ll find everything from broad, non-spoiling nudges to the full set of solutions. Whether you want a quick push in the correct direction or you’d rather lock in a perfect run, we’ve got you covered.

If you ended up here by mistake and meant to get the July 1 answers instead, you’ll want to jump to that day’s solution.

Category hints

The puzzle presents hints from the easiest set to the hardest, in this order: Yellow, then Green, then Blue, and finally Purple.

Want the category hints for today? You can use the guidance below—these won’t reveal the category names outright, but they should point you toward the right theme.

• Yellow category: centered on mimicry.
• Green category: centered on dated language.
• Blue category: centered on short names.
• Purple category: centered on sporting locations.

Herring Watch: The clues that end with animals are not connected to each other.

If you’re the type of player who also likes inventive, original puzzle games beyond the daily crossword-style routine, there are plenty of indie titles worth checking out.

Today’s answers

Here’s how the puzzle lands when you solve it in full.

If you used the hints or help here, feel free to compare your results in the comments—seeing other people’s approaches is half the fun.

And if you want the complete solutions, they’re listed below:

Yellow Category

They Impersonate Other Things

• Copycat
• Mime
• Mockingbird
• T-1000

Green Category

Old-Timey Names For Things We Still Use

• Looking Glass
• Spectacles
• Talkie
• Water Closet

Blue Category

Starting With Nicknames

• Billy Goat
• Dan Dan Noodles
• Rich Text
• Tom-Tom

Purple Category

Starting With Sports Venues

• Court Jester
• Diamond Ring
• Field Mouse
• Track Record

Looking for more word-game practice after you finish Connections? These mobile titles can be a good way to pick up new vocabulary and strengthen your word knowledge.