Today’s word-game hints, updated daily
HintCorner

Daily word-game guide

Spoiler-safeJuly 14, 2026Puzzle #1129

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for July 14, 2026

The July 14, 2026 Connections board pairs approachable vocabulary with software commands, compound phrases, and a final visual-symbol relationship.

Guide editorEthan ParkEditor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Terms for an accordEasy
Standard editing commandsEasy to moderate
Words before basketModerate
Ideas shown by arrow symbolsHard

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

Puzzle overview and category path

There’s a transition from familiar synonyms and standard commands for software to concrete basket types and a visual-symbol category. The official categories and words are copied verbatim from the verified source.

Overall difficultyModerateBiggest trapBARGAIN and DEAL may suggest shopping, which can pull GROCERY into a false commerce group. CUT and SHUFFLE can also evoke cards, while U-TURN and THIS SIDE UP resemble directions rather than members of a broader symbol category.Best first moveStart with COPY, CUT, DELETE, and PASTE because they form the clearest closed set of standard editing commands.

Why the board is deceptive

The most direct footholds are the four editing commands and the four words that can refer to a contract or accord.

The remaining eight divide into words placed before BASKET and concepts commonly represented by arrow-based symbols.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Remove COPY, CUT, DELETE, and PASTE first, then collect the four contract synonyms. Test EASTER, GROCERY, LAUNDRY, and PICNIC before BASKET, leaving the arrow-symbol concepts as the final group.

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.

Terms for an accordReveal this group

What connects AGREEMENT, BARGAIN, DEAL and UNDERSTANDING?

AGREEMENT · BARGAIN · DEAL · UNDERSTANDING

Contract. AGREEMENT, BARGAIN, DEAL, and UNDERSTANDING can each name an arrangement reached between people or parties.

Best anchor: Four words that can describe an arrangement or accord

Standard editing commandsReveal this group

What connects COPY, CUT, DELETE and PASTE?

COPY · CUT · DELETE · PASTE

Edit menu options. COPY, CUT, DELETE, and PASTE are familiar commands that appear in edit menus and support routine text or file manipulation.

Best anchor: Commands commonly found together in an editing interface

Words before basketReveal this group

What connects EASTER, GROCERY, LAUNDRY and PICNIC?

EASTER · GROCERY · LAUNDRY · PICNIC

Kinds of baskets. EASTER, GROCERY, LAUNDRY, and PICNIC each form a familiar phrase when followed by the word “basket.”

Best anchor: Each word commonly appears immediately before the same container noun

Ideas shown by arrow symbolsReveal this group

What connects RECYCLING, SHUFFLE, THIS SIDE UP and U-TURN?

RECYCLING · SHUFFLE · THIS SIDE UP · U-TURN

Symbolized with arrows. RECYCLING, SHUFFLE, THIS SIDE UP, and U-TURN are all commonly communicated through symbols that prominently feature arrows.

Best anchor: One or more arrows are conventionally used to denote each concept.

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
    Contract

    Four words that can describe an arrangement or accord

  2. 2
    Edit menu options

    Commands commonly found together in an editing interface

  3. 3
    Kinds of baskets

    Each word commonly appears immediately before the same container noun

  4. 4
    Symbolized with arrows

    One or more arrows are conventionally used to denote each concept.

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 COPY, CUT, DELETE, and PASTE because they form the clearest closed set of standard editing commands..

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 groupTerms for an accord
Contract: Four words that can describe an arrangement or accord
Easy to moderate groupStandard editing commands
Edit menu options: Commands commonly found together in an editing interface
Moderate groupWords before basket
Kinds of baskets: Each word commonly appears immediately before the same container noun
Hard groupIdeas shown by arrow symbols
Symbolized with arrows: One or more arrows are conventionally used to denote each concept.

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 →