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Spoiler-safeJuly 15, 2026Puzzle #1130

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for July 15, 2026

Connections for July 15, 2026, mixes legal language, laced objects, sports categories, and words that precede ROOM to describe extra space. The main challenge is resisting convincing sports-related overlaps.

Guide editorSofia RamirezEditor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Legal system vocabularyModerate because BAR and COURT also have common nonlegal meanings.
Objects secured or formed with lacesApproachable once the shared physical feature is considered instead of each object's usual setting.
Sports categoriesTricky because other board entries, including COURT and BASEBALL GLOVE, also suggest athletics.
Extra-space ROOM phrasesHardest because the words look unrelated until ROOM is placed after each one.

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 #1130 overview

The puzzle's strongest misdirection comes from sports-adjacent words spread across multiple groups. COURT can describe a playing area, BAR can evoke a sporting obstacle, and BASEBALL GLOVE belongs to sports while grouping by its laces instead. The ROOM phrases are easier to confirm after those overlaps have been removed.

Overall difficultyModerate, with familiar words obscured by several plausible cross-group associations.Biggest trapBAR, COURT, RACKET, and BASEBALL GLOVE can pull solvers toward sports, while BREATHING and WATER may suggest swimming.Best first moveStart with the clearest physical feature: BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL, and SHOE are all things with laces.

Why the board is deceptive

The board uses broad, familiar vocabulary, so several words appear compatible before the intended relationships become clear.

A reliable solve separates objects that physically have laces from general kinds of sports, then resolves the legal and ROOM groups.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Lock in the four laced objects first, then identify EXTREME, MOTOR, RACKET, and WATER as kinds of sports. The remaining words divide cleanly into legal-system terms and words placed before ROOM to indicate extra space.

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.

Legal system vocabularyReveal this group

What connects BAR, BENCH, COURT and TRIBUNAL?

BAR · BENCH · COURT · TRIBUNAL

Terms for the legal system. BAR, BENCH, COURT, and TRIBUNAL are all established terms associated with the legal system.

Best anchor: Legal-system terms on the July 15 board

Objects secured or formed with lacesReveal this group

What connects BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL and SHOE?

BASEBALL GLOVE · CORSET · FOOTBALL · SHOE

Things with laces. A BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL, and SHOE can each feature laces as part of its construction or fastening.

Best anchor: The board's four lace-bearing objects

Sports categoriesReveal this group

What connects EXTREME, MOTOR, RACKET and WATER?

EXTREME · MOTOR · RACKET · WATER

Kinds of sports. EXTREME sports, MOTOR sports, RACKET sports, and WATER sports are recognized categories of athletic activity.

Best anchor: Four broad kinds of sports

Extra-space ROOM phrasesReveal this group

What connects BREATHING, ELBOW, HEAD and WIGGLE?

BREATHING · ELBOW · HEAD · WIGGLE

WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE. BREATHING, ELBOW, HEAD, and WIGGLE can each precede ROOM in an expression indicating extra space or latitude.

Best anchor: Words that precede ROOM for extra space

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
    Terms for the legal system

    Legal-system terms on the July 15 board

  2. 2
    Things with laces

    The board's four lace-bearing objects

  3. 3
    Kinds of sports

    Four broad kinds of sports

  4. 4
    WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE

    Words that precede ROOM for extra space

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 the clearest physical feature: BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL, and SHOE are all things with laces..

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.

Moderate because BAR and COURT also have common nonlegal meanings. groupLegal system vocabulary
Terms for the legal system: Legal-system terms on the July 15 board
Approachable once the shared physical feature is considered instead of each object's usual setting. groupObjects secured or formed with laces
Things with laces: The board's four lace-bearing objects
Tricky because other board entries, including COURT and BASEBALL GLOVE, also suggest athletics. groupSports categories
Kinds of sports: Four broad kinds of sports
Hardest because the words look unrelated until ROOM is placed after each one. groupExtra-space ROOM phrases
WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE: Words that precede ROOM for extra space

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

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia verifies puzzle dates, public numbers, source facts and the archive details that keep daily guides reliable.

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