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Verified archive for June 28, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1113

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for June 28, 2026

Connections puzzle 1113 balances a concrete equipment set with compact synonyms, starting signals, and a final group linked by a shared noun.

Guide editorMaya BrooksSenior Editor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Group 1Category hidden
Group 2Category hidden
Group 3Category hidden
Group 4Category hidden

Need more than a hint?

Get a spoiler-safe solving plan

Use three general checks to make progress without seeing a category or answer.

Open today’s solving plan
  1. Prefer an exact rule.A shared topic is only a lead. Look for four words connected in the same precise way.
  2. Find the least flexible word.Use the word with the narrowest meaning to place words that could belong in several groups.
  3. Test the grammar.If the leftovers look unrelated, try placing one common word before or after each answer.

Reveal guide

Choose only as much help as you need

Every group has its own ladder. Opening one level never exposes another group.

  1. 1
    Start with a small hint

    Get a gentle nudge without seeing the category or its words.

  2. 2
    Ask for a stronger hint

    Use a more specific clue before revealing the category.

  3. 3
    Reveal only what you choose

    Open the category, then the four words only when you are ready.

You remain in control. You can move between levels without revealing the rest of the puzzle.

Practice board guide

Try a group without risking your streak

This scratchpad checks your thinking locally. It never sends a guess to the official puzzle.

  1. 1
    Choose four words

    Tap any four tiles that share one precise connection.

  2. 2
    Check the set

    Once four are selected, press “Check these four.”

  3. 3
    Keep it or adjust

    A correct group is confirmed. If it misses, swap one word or open a hint.

Nothing here affects an official streak. Clear the board at any time and try another four.

Today’s puzzle explained

Connections 1113 overview

The central trap is the overlap around selection: CHOICE, SELECT, and PICK appear closely related, but PICK belongs with guitarist accessories. GO can also suggest quality in casual speech, yet its intended role is a signal to commence.

Overall difficultyModerateBiggest trapSeveral short command words look interchangeable, while PICK and CHOICE can pull solvers toward selection language.Best first moveStart with CAPO, SLIDE, and STRAP, then test PICK as the fourth guitarist accessory.

Why the board is deceptive

The cleanest entry is the guitarist set because three of its accessories are unusually specific.

The remaining words reward careful attention to adjective senses, commands, and phrases involving boards.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Lock in the guitarist accessories first, separate the four commencement signals next, and then distinguish the quality adjectives from the four things associated with boards.

Spoilers below

Today’s groups and answers

Each group stays hidden until you choose to open it. Reveal one at a time, or keep this section closed while you continue solving.

Top-tier descriptorsReveal this group

What connects CHOICE, FINE, PRIME and SELECT?

CHOICE · FINE · PRIME · SELECT

HIGH-QUALITY. Each word can function as an adjective describing something of especially high quality.

Best anchor: Adjectives for superior quality

Cues to get underwayReveal this group

What connects BEGIN, GO, NOW and START?

BEGIN · GO · NOW · START

SIGNALS TO COMMENCE. Each word can serve as a direct cue that an activity, event, or action should commence.

Best anchor: Short cues that initiate action

Items used while playing guitarReveal this group

What connects CAPO, PICK, SLIDE and STRAP?

CAPO · PICK · SLIDE · STRAP

ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST. A guitar player may use these accessories to change the pitch, strike the strings, shape the note or support the instrument.

Best anchor: Practical equipment for guitarists

People or entities associated with boardsReveal this group

What connects CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS and SURFER?

CHESS · CORPORATION · DARTS · SURFER

THEY HAVE BOARDS. Each answer is associated with a board: a chessboard, corporate board, dartboard, or surfboard.

Best anchor: Different owners or users of boards

How to solve this Connections puzzle

The thinking route, not just the answers

Use today’s anchor words as a repeatable method: secure an exact group, remove it, and let the remaining board become more specific.

  1. 1
    HIGH-QUALITY

    Adjectives for superior quality

  2. 2
    SIGNALS TO COMMENCE

    Short cues that initiate action

  3. 3
    ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST

    Practical equipment for guitarists

  4. 4
    THEY HAVE BOARDS

    Different owners or users of boards

Mental model to reuse tomorrow

Exact relationship beats shared topic

Weak rule“These words feel related.”A broad topic can support several tempting but unstable groups.

Strong rule“The same test works for all four.”One precise relationship should explain every answer in the same way.

Today’s best first move: Start with CAPO, SLIDE, and STRAP, then test PICK as the fourth guitarist accessory..

Build your solving vocabulary

Four anchors worth spotting

An anchor is the least flexible word in a possible group. It often exposes the intended relationship before the more ambiguous words do.

Easy groupTop-tier descriptors
HIGH-QUALITY: Adjectives for superior quality
Easy to moderate groupCues to get underway
SIGNALS TO COMMENCE: Short cues that initiate action
Moderate groupItems used while playing guitar
ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST: Practical equipment for guitarists
Hard groupPeople or entities associated with boards
THEY HAVE BOARDS: Different owners or users of boards

Questions players ask

Connections help without extra spoilers

I’m stuck. Which hint should I open first?

Start with the small hint for the group you feel closest to solving. Use the stronger hint only if the first nudge is not enough, then reveal the category or four words when you want confirmation.

What should I do when five words seem to belong together?

Assume one is a red herring. Look for the word with a strong second meaning, then test whether it forms a cleaner group elsewhere.

What does “Test a group” do?

Select four words and choose “Check these four” to see whether your grouping works. It stays on this page and never submits a guess to the official puzzle or affects a streak.

Do I need to solve the groups in difficulty order?

No. Start with the clearest exact set. Removing an obvious group often exposes the overlapping meanings and wordplay in the harder groups.

Can I check one answer without spoiling the whole puzzle?

Yes. Every group opens independently, so you can reveal one hint, category or set of four words while keeping the other groups hidden.

About the guide editor

Maya Brooks

Maya focuses on exact category logic, ambiguous overlaps and hints that help without giving the group away.

Read Maya’s profile →