If today’s New York Times Connections grid has you burning through your mistakes, you are not alone. Puzzle #1117 features some heavy misdirection, with several words seemingly fitting into a simple objects or names 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, words like Court and Diamond look like an obvious match for a sports theme, but committing to that group early will cost you lives. We recommend checking how each word starts or what it describes beyond its basic meaning, as this will make sorting the four groups much clearer.
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:
- Wordle Hints and Answer Today: Today’s Wordle Hints & Answer: July 2, 2026 (Puzzle #1839)
- Strands Hints and Spangram Today: NYT Strands Hints, Spangram & Answers Today: July 2, 2026 (Puzzle #851)
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): Entities that copy, mimic, or take on the appearance of something else
- 🟩 Green Group Hint (Medium): Older terms used to describe common items we still use every day
- 🟦 Blue Group Hint (Hard): Phrases that begin with familiar short forms or familiar given names
- 🟪 Purple Group Hint (Tricky): Compound terms starting with words that name places used for sports or games
Stuck on one word? If you have Track, try not to only think of it as a running path. Notice how it begins the full phrase, which points you toward the trickier Purple group today!
NYT Connections Answers Today: Thursday July 2, 2026
⚠️Spoiler Warning: Beyond this point lies the full solution for Puzzle #1117. If you still want to solve the grid yourself using the clues above, do not scroll down.
Here are the completed categories and groupings for today’s puzzle:
🟨 Yellow Group: They Impersonate Other Things
- Copycat
- Mime
- Mockingbird
- T-1000
🟩 Green Group: Old-Timey Names For Things We Still Use
- Looking Glass
- Spectacles
- Talkie
- Water Closet
🟦 Blue Group: Starting With Nicknames
- Billy Goat
- Dan Dan Noodles
- Rich Text
- Tom-Tom
🟪 Purple Group: Starting With Sports Venues
- Court Jester
- Diamond Ring
- Field Mouse
- Track Record
Previous answer
NYT Connections Answer for July 1, 2026 (Puzzle #1116): THINGS NAMED AFTER PLACES / BEST PICTURE WINNERS / NOMINEES / PLACES IN COCKTAIL NAMES / STARTING WITH COUNTRIES
Join the Discussion
Did today’s puzzle give you a perfect “Reverse Rainbow” (solving Purple to Yellow), or did the overlapping meanings and starting words trip you up?
Share your results grid or vent about today’s trickiest crossover words in the comments below!
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