If today’s New York Times Connections grid has you burning through your mistakes, you are not alone. Puzzle #1153 features some heavy misdirection, with several words seemingly fitting into a medical or sports theme before pulling the rug out from under you.

Below are strategic, spoiler-free hints to help you group today’s words on your own, followed by the exact categories and answers at the bottom of the page.

Today’s Connections Strategy & Commentary

Watch out for the red herrings today. At first glance, the word Candle appears in two different places and looks like an obvious match for a single theme, but committing to that group early will cost you lives. We recommend separating items by their actual function rather than surface associations, as the crossover word is the biggest trap in this puzzle.

Connections Hints Today: Category Clues

If you just need a nudge to get your brain moving in the right direction, here are clues for the four color-coded groups:

🟨 Yellow Group Hint (Easiest): Parts or materials used to make a commonly lit household item.
🟩 Green Group Hint (Medium): Things that are cold or produce low temperatures.
🟦 Blue Group Hint (Hard): Mechanical or physical parts that help move an elevator up and down.
🟪 Purple Group Hint (Tricky): Each word starts with a name used for a male animal.

Stuck on one word? If you have Candle, think twice. It belongs to the Green group today, not the easiest group where it seems to fit.

⚠️Spoiler Warning: Beyond this point lies the full solution for Puzzle #1153. If you still want to solve the grid yourself using the clues above, do not scroll down.

NYT Connections Answers Today: Friday, August 7, 2026

Here are the completed categories and groupings for today’s puzzle:

🟨 Yellow Group: Components Of A Candle

Fragrance
Jar
Wax
Wick

🟩 Green Group: Cold Things

Candle
Liquid Nitrogen
Refrigerator
Snow

🟦 Blue Group: Parts Of An Elevator

Buttons
Cables
Motor
Shaft

🟪 Purple Group: Starting With Male Animals

Buckyball
Jackpot
Rambo
Tomatillo

Previous Answer

NYT Connections Answer for August 6, 2026 (Puzzle #1152): Classic Wooden Toys, Places With Lanes, Iconic Roman Landmarks, Places With Nets

Daily NYT Puzzle Hub

Keep your winning streak alive across the entire NYT Games ecosystem. Check out our daily guides for today’s other popular puzzles:

Join the Discussion

Did you spot the crossover word Candle early, or did it trip you up by appearing in two different themes? Share your results grid or vent about today’s trickiest words in the comments below!

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NYT Connections Hints & Answers Today: August 7, 2026 (Puzzle #1153)