Today’s word-game hints, updated daily
HintCorner

Daily word-game guide

Verified archive for June 29, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1114

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for June 29, 2026

Antique-sounding baddies, vigorous eating verbs, speaker components, and a tricky set with words ending with parts of a tree in Connections #1114.

Guide editorEthan ParkEditor

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 #1114 overview

The strongest misdirection comes from CRUSH and MAGNET, which can evoke attraction, while CONE and NUDIBRANCH may pull attention toward shapes or natural forms. The purple group is mechanically precise but visually concealed inside unusually varied words.

Overall difficultyHard, with a particularly opaque wordplay group and several plausible cross-category associations.Biggest trapCABINET, CONE, MAGNET, WOOFER, EMBARK, and GROOT can suggest objects, shapes, attraction, sound, travel, or fictional references before their exact relationships emerge.Best first moveStart with MISCREANT, ROGUE, RUFFIAN, and SCOUNDREL, the cleanest set of old-fashioned terms for troublemakers.

Why the board is deceptive

The vocabulary group offers the clearest foothold because its four words share both meaning and an old-fashioned tone.

The final group depends on inspecting word endings rather than treating EMBARK, GROOT, NUDIBRANCH, and STRUNK by their full meanings.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Lock in the four old-timey troublemakers first, then separate the forceful consumption verbs from the physical speaker parts before examining the remaining word endings.

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.

Antique roguesReveal this group

What connects MISCREANT, ROGUE, RUFFIAN and SCOUNDREL?

MISCREANT · ROGUE · RUFFIAN · SCOUNDREL

OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS. All four are somewhat old-fashioned nouns for a badly behaved, dishonest, or troublesome person.

Best anchor: old-fashioned names for troublemakers

Eat or drink eagerlyReveal this group

What connects CRUSH, GUZZLE, INHALE and SNARF?

CRUSH · GUZZLE · INHALE · SNARF

CONSUME WITH GUSTO. All are words which describe eating or drinking quickly or keenly or with obvious relish

Best anchor: verbs for consuming something enthusiastically

Loudspeaker componentsReveal this group

What connects CABINET, CONE, MAGNET and WOOFER?

CABINET · CONE · MAGNET · WOOFER

PARTS OF A SPEAKER. These are physical parts or constituent elements of a speaker used to reproduce sound.

Best anchor: components found in a loudspeaker

Hidden tree-part endingsReveal this group

What connects EMBARK, GROOT, NUDIBRANCH and STRUNK?

EMBARK · GROOT · NUDIBRANCH · STRUNK

ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE. The words end with BARK, ROOT, BRANCH, and TRUNK, each of which names a part or feature of a tree.

Best anchor: words ending with names of tree parts

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
    OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS

    old-fashioned names for troublemakers

  2. 2
    CONSUME WITH GUSTO

    verbs for consuming something enthusiastically

  3. 3
    PARTS OF A SPEAKER

    components found in a loudspeaker

  4. 4
    ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE

    words ending with names of tree parts

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 MISCREANT, ROGUE, RUFFIAN, and SCOUNDREL, the cleanest set of old-fashioned terms for troublemakers..

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 once the shared old-fashioned register is noticed. groupAntique rogues
OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS: old-fashioned names for troublemakers
Moderate because several entries are figurative or informal. groupEat or drink eagerly
CONSUME WITH GUSTO: verbs for consuming something enthusiastically
Moderate for solvers familiar with audio hardware. groupLoudspeaker components
PARTS OF A SPEAKER: components found in a loudspeaker
Hard because the relevant strings appear only at the ends of unrelated words. groupHidden tree-part endings
ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE: words ending with names of tree parts

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

Ethan Park

Ethan turns word patterns and solving routes into concise, accessible guidance for daily players.

Read Ethan’s profile →