Today’s word-game hints, updated daily
HintCorner

Daily word-game guide

Verified archive for July 31, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1146

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for July 31, 2026

The July 31, 2026 board rewards noticing both recognizable fictional figures and an unusual word-building mechanism.

Guide editorMaya BrooksSenior Editor

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

A board built around construction, characters, and hidden beginnings

The group titles and words reproduce the verified source exactly. The wordplay groups depend on prefixes: D+APPLE, J+DATE, S+LIME, S+PEAR and CHEER+IOS, FUN+GUS, GLEE+K, JOY+STICK.

Overall difficultymediumBiggest trapThe board mixes ordinary dictionary words with familiar names and compounds, encouraging broad semantic guesses before the word-structure groups become visible.Best first moveStart with the clearest semantic set, then test whether the remaining unusual entries hide shorter words at their beginnings.

Why the board is deceptive

CONSTRUCT is the most direct category: FASHION, MODEL, MOLD, and SHAPE all relate to making or forming something.

The two hardest groups use prefixes hidden inside longer words: fruits begin DAPPLE, JDATE, SLIME, and SPEAR, while merriments begin CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK, and JOYSTICK.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

A practical route is to lock in CONSTRUCT first, recognize DINOSAUR, MUSHROOM, PLUMBER, and PRINCESS as SUPER MARIO FIGURES, and then inspect the leftovers for embedded fruit and merriment words.

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.

CONSTRUCTReveal this group

What connects FASHION, MODEL, MOLD and SHAPE?

FASHION · MODEL · MOLD · SHAPE

CONSTRUCT. Each word can connect with the idea of constructing, forming, designing, or providing a pattern for something.

Best anchor: The board's clearest formation-related set

SUPER MARIO FIGURESReveal this group

What connects DINOSAUR, MUSHROOM, PLUMBER and PRINCESS?

DINOSAUR · MUSHROOM · PLUMBER · PRINCESS

SUPER MARIO FIGURES. These are figures or figure types associated with the Super Mario universe, including its dinosaur, mushroom, plumber, and princess.

Best anchor: A recognizable video-game character grouping

FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTERReveal this group

What connects DAPPLE, JDATE, SLIME and SPEAR?

DAPPLE · JDATE · SLIME · SPEAR

FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER. Each entry starts with one letter followed by a fruit name: D plus APPLE, J plus DATE, S plus LIME, and S plus PEAR.

Best anchor: A prefix mechanism hiding four fruits

STARTING WITH MERRIMENTSReveal this group

What connects CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK and JOYSTICK?

CHEERIOS · FUNGUS · GLEEK · JOYSTICK

STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS. The words begin with CHEER, FUN, GLEE, and JOY respectively, making merriment-related beginnings rather than semantic categories.

Best anchor: A final group based on hidden joyful openings

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 guideHow FASHION, MODEL, MOLD and SHAPE ConnectExplain this connection Supporting clue guideHow DINOSAUR, MUSHROOM, PLUMBER and PRINCESS ConnectExplain this connection Supporting clue guideHow DAPPLE, JDATE, SLIME and SPEAR ConnectExplain this connection Supporting clue guideHow CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK and JOYSTICK ConnectExplain this connection Supporting clue guideDefinitions for all 16 puzzle wordsExplain 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
    CONSTRUCT

    The board's clearest formation-related set

  2. 2
    SUPER MARIO FIGURES

    A recognizable video-game character grouping

  3. 3
    FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER

    A prefix mechanism hiding four fruits

  4. 4
    STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS

    A final group based on hidden joyful openings

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 semantic set, then test whether the remaining unusual entries hide shorter words at their beginnings..

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 groupCONSTRUCT
CONSTRUCT: The board's clearest formation-related set
medium groupSUPER MARIO FIGURES
SUPER MARIO FIGURES: A recognizable video-game character grouping
hard groupFRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER
FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER: A prefix mechanism hiding four fruits
hard groupSTARTING WITH MERRIMENTS
STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS: A final group based on hidden joyful openings

Language background

Useful guides for today’s wordplay

These independent language explainers add definition, origin or usage context where it genuinely helps.

Language guideDapple Meaning

Go deeper on this word or phrase without duplicating the puzzle explanation.

Read the language guide Language guideSlime Meaning

Go deeper on this word or phrase without duplicating the puzzle explanation.

Read the language guide Language guideGleek Meaning

Go deeper on this word or phrase without duplicating the puzzle explanation.

Read the language guide

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 →