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Spoiler-safeJuly 11, 2026Puzzle #1126

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for July 11, 2026

The July 11, 2026 Connections board consists of a concrete equipment set, four descriptions of undisturbed water, familiar animated characters, and a precise letter-position pattern.

Guide editorJordan EllisEditor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Under the big topMost direct
A surface without ripplesAccessible after the concrete set
Friends from the toy boxRecognition based
Doubles in numbered positionsHardest wordplay

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 #1126 overview

The board shifts from concrete associations to descriptive language and then to orthographic wordplay. The purple category is verified by matching each doubled letter to that letter's alphabetical position.

Overall difficultyModerate, with a demanding final wordplay groupBiggest trapFamiliar descriptive words and character names can distract from the more concrete circus set, while the last group depends on letter positions rather than meaning.Best first moveStart with CANNON, STILTS, TRAPEZE, and UNICYCLE because they share a direct circus-equipment relationship.

Why the board is deceptive

The most accessible route begins with four objects strongly associated with circus performances.

When the character and water groups come out, the other words reveal a positional double-letter rule.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

First take away the four circus items, then test CALM, FLAT, GLASSY and STILL as descriptions of water. Another clean set are the four Toy Story names, with the spelling pattern left for last.

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.

Under the big topReveal this group

What connects CANNON, STILTS, TRAPEZE and UNICYCLE?

CANNON · STILTS · TRAPEZE · UNICYCLE

CIRCUS EQUIPMENT. CANNON, STILTS, TRAPEZE, and UNICYCLE are all pieces of equipment associated with circus performances.

Best anchor: equipment used in circus acts

A surface without ripplesReveal this group

What connects CALM, FLAT, GLASSY and STILL?

CALM · FLAT · GLASSY · STILL

UNDISTURBED, AS WATER. CALM, FLAT, GLASSY, and STILL can each describe water whose surface is undisturbed.

Best anchor: descriptions of undisturbed water

Friends from the toy boxReveal this group

What connects BO PEEP, JESSIE, SLINKY and WOODY?

BO PEEP · JESSIE · SLINKY · WOODY

"TOY STORY" CHARACTERS. BO PEEP, JESSIE, SLINKY, and WOODY are all characters from the Toy Story series.

Best anchor: characters in Toy Story

Doubles in numbered positionsReveal this group

What connects AARDVARK, BOCCE, EBBING and TWIDDLE?

AARDVARK · BOCCE · EBBING · TWIDDLE

DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER'S ALPHABETICAL POSITION. Each word contains a doubled letter beginning at that letter's alphabetical position: AA at 1, CC at 3, BB at 2, and DD at 4.

Best anchor: double letters in alphabet positions

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
    CIRCUS EQUIPMENT

    equipment used in circus acts

  2. 2
    UNDISTURBED, AS WATER

    descriptions of undisturbed water

  3. 3
    "TOY STORY" CHARACTERS

    characters in Toy Story

  4. 4
    DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER'S ALPHABETICAL POSITION

    double letters in alphabet positions

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 CANNON, STILTS, TRAPEZE, and UNICYCLE because they share a direct circus-equipment relationship..

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.

Most direct groupUnder the big top
CIRCUS EQUIPMENT: equipment used in circus acts
Accessible after the concrete set groupA surface without ripples
UNDISTURBED, AS WATER: descriptions of undisturbed water
Recognition based groupFriends from the toy box
"TOY STORY" CHARACTERS: characters in Toy Story
Hardest wordplay groupDoubles in numbered positions
DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER'S ALPHABETICAL POSITION: double letters in alphabet positions

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

Jordan Ellis

Jordan connects editorial explanations with practice tools, custom puzzles and the site’s future original games.

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