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Spoiler-safeJuly 22, 2026Puzzle #1137

NYT Connections Hints Today (July 22, 2026) + Answers

The July 22, 2026 Connections board mixes medical symptoms, golf notation, social-platform terminology, and zebra anatomy, with several words deliberately inviting broader interpretations.

Guide editorMaya BrooksSenior Editor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Recognizable physical responsesEasy
Recorded during a roundMedium
Names tied to particular appsHard
Parts and markings of one animalMedium after elimination

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

July 22, 2026 Connections overview

The board's central trick is contextual precision. Golf terms compete with general sports meanings, platform labels look like ordinary plural nouns, and the zebra group becomes safest after elimination.

Overall difficultyModerate, with familiar words disguised by several convincing alternate meanings.Biggest trapThe board encourages broad body, sports, and visual-description associations before its more precise contexts emerge.Best first moveStart with the concrete allergy symptoms, then use the golf scorecard vocabulary to divide the remaining nouns.

Why the board is deceptive

The cleanest opening set is the cluster of recognizable skin-related symptoms, although RASH and REDNESS can initially feel more general than allergic reactions.

The harder half depends on treating familiar nouns as context-specific terms: four belong on a golf scorecard, while four name platform-native kinds of posts.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Clear HIVES, ITCHING, RASH, and REDNESS first. Next, test HOLE, PAR, SCORE, and STROKES against a single physical object—a golf scorecard—before mapping the platform terms and leaving the zebra features.

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.

Recognizable physical responsesReveal this group

What connects HIVES, ITCHING, RASH and REDNESS?

HIVES · ITCHING · RASH · REDNESS

SYMPTOMS OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION. HIVES, ITCHING, RASH, and REDNESS are all symptoms that can occur during an allergic reaction.

Best anchor: The four terms form a direct medical-symptom cluster.

Recorded during a roundReveal this group

What connects HOLE, PAR, SCORE and STROKES?

HOLE · PAR · SCORE · STROKES

ON A GOLF SCORECARD. A golf scorecard organizes play by HOLE, lists PAR, records a player's SCORE, and counts the STROKES taken.

Best anchor: The scorecard itself is the unifying object.

Names tied to particular appsReveal this group

What connects PINS, SNAPS, TWEETS and VINES?

PINS · SNAPS · TWEETS · VINES

PLATFORM-SPECIFIC POSTS. PINS, SNAPS, TWEETS, and VINES are names for posts or native content formats associated with specific social platforms.

Best anchor: Each plural noun points to a platform's distinctive terminology.

Parts and markings of one animalReveal this group

What connects HOOVES, MANE, TAIL and WHITE STRIPES?

HOOVES · MANE · TAIL · WHITE STRIPES

FEATURES OF A ZEBRA. HOOVES, a MANE, a TAIL, and WHITE STRIPES are all visible features of a zebra.

Best anchor: The color-specific marking makes the zebra identification exact.

Today’s supporting guides

Why the trickiest words belong together

These focused articles go beyond the answer: they explain the exact relationship, the convincing red herrings and how to recognize the pattern again.

Supporting clue guideWhat Connects Hole, Par, Score And Strokes?Explain this connection Supporting clue guideWhat Connects Pins, Snaps, Tweets And Vines?Explain this connection

Browse every Connections clue explainer →

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
    SYMPTOMS OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION

    The four terms form a direct medical-symptom cluster.

  2. 2
    ON A GOLF SCORECARD

    The scorecard itself is the unifying object.

  3. 3
    PLATFORM-SPECIFIC POSTS

    Each plural noun points to a platform's distinctive terminology.

  4. 4
    FEATURES OF A ZEBRA

    The color-specific marking makes the zebra identification exact.

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 concrete allergy symptoms, then use the golf scorecard vocabulary to divide the remaining nouns..

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 groupRecognizable physical responses
SYMPTOMS OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION: The four terms form a direct medical-symptom cluster.
Medium groupRecorded during a round
ON A GOLF SCORECARD: The scorecard itself is the unifying object.
Hard groupNames tied to particular apps
PLATFORM-SPECIFIC POSTS: Each plural noun points to a platform's distinctive terminology.
Medium after elimination groupParts and markings of one animal
FEATURES OF A ZEBRA: The color-specific marking makes the zebra identification exact.

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 →