Connections Hint
Puzzle #1148 · August 2, 2026

NYT Connections Hints for August 2, 2026

Start with the spoiler-free hints. Go deeper only when you need to. Reveal answers on your own terms.

Sunday, August 2, 2026
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Today’s 16 Puzzle Words
Tap any word to see how it’s used in this puzzle
WELLBEASTAIRPLANETHROUGHASEAACTUALLYVIAPERÀ LAFLAXSOLORDBYOLGALIKEDARK

Spoiler-Free Hints

Three levels — warmer as you read down
i Ultra safe

A direction for each group — no names given.

  • These words pepper conversation when someone is thinking or pausing.
  • They all indicate the method or channel through which something happens.
  • Each can pair with a common word to describe a distinct state.
  • Look beyond the words themselves — the arrangement of letters holds the key.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • Think about casual speech patterns and conversational pauses.
  • These are prepositions that answer the question 'how?'
  • One of these you'll find in your device's settings; another in a bakery.
  • You'll need to know some three-letter airport codes and how letters can be combined.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • These are all conversational fillers — words used to pause or emphasize in speech.
  • These are all prepositions meaning 'by way of' or 'using'.
  • Each word can be followed by mode to form a common phrase.
  • Each word is formed by adding a letter to the beginning of a U.S. airport code, and that added letter is the word's own first letter.

Today’s Trap Words

The words engineered to mislead

Every Connections board plants a few decoys. Here are today’s, and why they pull you the wrong way.

LIKE

Although LIKE can be a preposition meaning 'similar to,' it doesn't belong with the 'by means of' words; it's actually a filler word in this puzzle.

SO

SO might seem like a conjunction indicating result, which could mislead solvers into grouping it with prepositions, but it's a filler here.

À LA

À LA is a French preposition meaning 'in the style of,' potentially tricking solvers into placing it with BY or VIA, but it actually completes the phrase À LA MODE.

Connections Answers — August 2, 2026

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
FILLER WORDS
LIKE · SO · WELL · ACTUALLY
Tap to reveal
BY MEANS OF
VIA · BY · PER · THROUGH
Tap to reveal
___ MODE
AIRPLANE · À LA · DARK · BEAST
Tap to reveal
U.S. AIRPORT CODES PLUS STARTING LETTER
FLAX · LORD · ASEA · OLGA
Tap to reveal
SEE ALSO:
NYT Wordle hints for August 2, 2026 NYT Pips hints for August 2, 2026 NYT Strands hints for August 2, 2026

Category Breakdown — Puzzle #1148

Why each group works — not just what it is

FILLER WORDS

Words like ACTUALLY, LIKE, SO, and WELL are often sprinkled into speech as conversational filler, buying time or adding emphasis.

BY MEANS OF

The prepositions BY, PER, THROUGH, and VIA all indicate the medium or method by which something is done.

___ MODE

AIRPLANE, BEAST, DARK, and À LA each pair with MODE to create familiar phrases, from device settings to a classic dessert term.

U.S. AIRPORT CODES PLUS STARTING LETTER

Each word combines a U.S. airport code (SEA, LAX, ORD, LGA) with a letter added at the front, and that added letter happens to be the word's own first letter.

Word Guide — All 16 Puzzle Words

What each word means in this puzzle
WELL
A filler word that starts many sentences, giving the speaker a moment to think.
BEAST
An animal, especially a wild one; combined with 'mode' it describes a state of extreme intensity or focus.
AIRPLANE
A vehicle that flies; here, it pairs with 'mode' to refer to a device setting that disables wireless signals.
THROUGH
Indicates movement via a channel or from one side to another; also used to mean 'by means of.'
ASEA
A word meaning 'at sea' or 'on the ocean,' but here its letters hide a U.S. airport code.
ACTUALLY
A word commonly inserted in conversation for emphasis or to signal a correction.
VIA
A Latin-derived preposition meaning 'by way of' or 'through the medium of.'
PER
A formal preposition meaning 'for each' or 'by means of,' as in 'per instructions.'
À LA
A French phrase meaning 'in the style of'; combined with 'mode,' it becomes 'à la mode,' meaning served with ice cream or fashionable.
FLAX
A plant cultivated for its fiber and seeds; in this puzzle, its structure reveals a hidden airport code.
SO
Often used at the beginning of a sentence or to connect thoughts in speech, buying time.
LORD
A title for a male ruler or noble; this puzzle uses it as a word formed from an airport code plus an extra letter.
BY
A preposition meaning 'through the action or agency of' or indicating proximity.
OLGA
A female given name of Russian origin; here it's constructed from an airport code and an added letter.
LIKE
Used here as a filler word in casual speech, not as a preposition indicating similarity.
DARK
The absence of light; with 'mode' it refers to a color scheme with a dark background on screens.

Puzzle Design Analysis

Why the editor constructed it this way

The puzzle contrasts straightforward linguistic categories (fillers, prepositions) with a deceptively simple pattern category (___ MODE) and a sneaky wordplay group that hides airport codes in plain sight. By using common airport codes like LAX and ORD, the editor rewards travel-savvy solvers, while the self-referential 'starting letter' twist adds an extra layer of 'aha!' The inclusion of À LA MODE bridges food and tech, making the blue group surprisingly eclectic.

Difficulty & Analysis

How tough today’s board really plays
Overall
6.5/10
Most deceptive
À LA

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
Airport Code + Start

requires lateral thinking

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