Stumped by today’s NYT Connections? You’re in the right spot. Below are color-coded hints, followed by complete spoiler answers, deep insight, and savvy tips to win the day.
🟨 Yellow – Dread-Inducing Figures
Hint: Think of creatures in terrifying bedtime tales.
Words: BOGEYMAN, BUGBEAR, HOBGOBLIN, PHANTOM
🟩 Green – Kinds of Steaks
Hint: Cuts you might order “medium-rare.”
Words: TOMAHAWK, CHATEAUBRIAND, FLATIRON, PORTERHOUSE
🟦 Blue – Related to Buying a Home
Hint: Words tied to paperwork and financing.
Words: APPRAISAL, ESCROW, INSURANCE, MORTGAGE
🟪 Purple – Animals Ending with Animals
Hint: Each word itself contains an animal name.
Words: GEODUCK, SEAHORSE, TITMOUSE, WOMBAT
Deep Solver Insights
1. Yellow – The Scary Crew
Once you spot BOGEYMAN and PHANTOM, the other two fit naturally as classic spooky figures—early confidence boost!
2. Green – Steakhouse Signal
PORTERHOUSE and TOMAHAWK are unmistakably steak cuts. If you don’t know CHATEAUBRIAND, rest assured it’s also a premium beef cut used as a roast or steak.
3. Blue – Home-Loan Habits
These home-buying terms connect instantly—if you see ESCROW or APPRAISAL, group them together to avoid confusion with financial terms.
4. Purple – Word-Within-a-Word Play
GEODUCK contains “duck”, SEAHORSE includes “horse”, TITMOUSE has “mouse”, and WOMBAT hides “bat.” Classic NYT wordplay adds that extra twist!
Read Also:- NYT Mini Crossword – July 23, 2025: Full Answers, Insights & FAQs
Smart Solver Strategies
-
Start with the obvious—Yellow and Blue are easiest and most distinct.
-
Watch for theme traps—several financial or animal-related red herrings may mislead you.
-
Isolate tricky groups—once two Purple words are clear, look for hidden animal names inside.
-
Shuffle with purpose—after grouping a set, shuffle the board to visualize remaining words clearly.
FAQs: NYT Connections Essentials
Q1: When does the new puzzle drop?
NYT Connections refreshes at midnight local time every day.
Q2: How many mistakes am I allowed?
You may make up to four incorrect groupings—a fourth mistake ends the game.
Q3: Is Connections free to play?
Yes! It’s freely accessible on the NYT Games site and mobile app after signing up.
Q4: Why is the Purple category usually hardest?
It often includes hidden wordplay like suffixes, hidden words, or tricky combos—like today’s animal-in-word theme.
What Makes Today’s Puzzle Shine
Puzzle #773 balances chilling folklore, culinary flair, real-estate savvy, and clever word-within-word reveals, appealing to a wide range of solvers. The mix keeps you both confident and thoughtfully challenged—an engaging NYT hallmark.
