If today’s Connections puzzle has you staring at the grid a little longer than usual, you’re not alone. Puzzle #1131, released for Thursday, July 16, 2026, blends straightforward vocabulary with clever wordplay that can easily lead players down the wrong path. Some words appear to fit multiple themes, making this another satisfying challenge from Connections editor Wyna Liu.
Before revealing today’s complete solutions, here are a few spoiler-free hints to help you solve the puzzle on your own.
NYT Connections hints for today
Yellow group hint: Think about products commonly found in a skincare routine.
Green group hint: Words describing very dark shades or colors.
Blue group hint: Items or concepts closely associated with accuracy and precision.
Purple group hint: Two-word phrases that begin with words meaning a tiny mark.
If those clues still aren’t enough, you can move one step closer without seeing the exact answers.
Today’s Connections categories
- 🟨 Yellow: Skincare Products
- 🟩 Green: Shades of Black
- 🟦 Blue: Associated With Precision
- 🟪 Purple: Starting With Tiny Marks
NYT Connections answers for July 16, 2026
🟨 Skincare Products
- Clay Mask
- Eye Cream
- Peel
- Toner
🟩 Shades of Black
- Charcoal
- Ink
- Jet
- Pitch
🟦 Associated With Precision
- Bullseye
- Clockwork
- Laser
- Needle
🟪 Starting With Tiny Marks
- Dot Matrix
- Period Piece
- Point Break
- Spot Remover
Puzzle analysis
The yellow category was the easiest for many players, especially those familiar with skincare products. Clay Mask, Eye Cream, Peel, and Toner naturally belong together, although “Peel” could briefly distract players because of its broader meaning.
The green group required recognizing synonyms or descriptive terms for deep black shades. Ink, Jet, Charcoal, and Pitch are all widely used to describe extremely dark colors.
The blue category revolved around the idea of precision. A Bullseye represents perfect aim, Clockwork suggests flawless timing, Lasers are known for pinpoint accuracy, and Needles require exact placement.
Today’s purple category delivered the toughest twist. Rather than focusing on the full phrases, players had to notice that each phrase starts with a tiny mark: Dot, Period, Point, and Spot. Recognizing that the linguistic pattern was the key to completing the puzzle.
How to play NYT Connections
Connections presents players with 16 words arranged in a 4×4 grid. The objective is to organize them into four groups of four that share a common relationship.
Each completed group is assigned a difficulty level:
- 🟨 Yellow: Easiest
- 🟩 Green: Moderate
- 🟦 Blue: Difficult
- 🟪 Purple: Most challenging
Players have only four mistakes before the game ends, making careful observation and pattern recognition essential.
Whether you solved Puzzle #1131 without help or needed a few nudges, today’s challenge offered a balanced mix of straightforward categories and deceptive wordplay. If you missed recent puzzles, you can also check our coverage of Today’s Connections categories from previous editions and our NYT Connections answers archive. Be sure to return tomorrow for hints, categories, and the complete answers for the next NYT Connections puzzle.
