Connections Hint
Puzzle #1128 · July 13, 2026

NYT Connections Hints for July 13, 2026

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

Monday, July 13, 2026
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Today’s 16 Puzzle Words
Tap any word to see how it’s used in this puzzle
UMBRELLASMACKDOWNSALEMBUSSINDRAWERQUESTIONPUMPGRILLMUGEXAMINEPUSSTOMPECKISHBUCKETKISSERFIGARO

Spoiler-Free Hints

Three levels — warmer as you read down
i Ultra safe

A direction for each group — no names given.

  • All of these actions have a similar inquisitive purpose.
  • Items you might find around the house with a common feature.
  • Characters from stories that share a certain animal identity.
  • These words might sound like something else is going on at the start.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • These verbs describe intense inquiries, sometimes in a police or legal context.
  • Each of these common objects includes a feature you can grip.
  • Names of well-known fictional felines from various media.
  • Pay attention to the first few letters—they share a loving gesture.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • These are all synonyms for interrogate—they mean the same thing.
  • All four items are designed with a handle—that's the common link.
  • These are names of famous cats from movies, comics, or cartoons.
  • The first part of each word is a term for an affectionate smooch.

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.

GRILL

It's commonly a cooking appliance, misleading solvers away from the 'interrogate' group.

PECKISH

Looks like it simply means hungry, completely hiding the 'peck' kiss wordplay at the start.

SALEM

Often associated with the Massachusetts town or historical witch trials, not a cat, causing category confusion.

Connections Answers — July 13, 2026

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
INTERROGATE
QUESTION · GRILL · PUMP · EXAMINE
Tap to reveal
THINGS WITH HANDLES
UMBRELLA · BUCKET · MUG · DRAWER
Tap to reveal
FICTIONAL CATS
SALEM · PUSS · FIGARO · TOM
Tap to reveal
STARTING WITH SMOOCHES
KISSER · SMACKDOWN · BUSSIN · PECKISH
Tap to reveal
SEE ALSO:
NYT Wordle hints for July 13, 2026 NYT Pips hints for July 13, 2026 NYT Strands hints for July 13, 2026

Category Breakdown — Puzzle #1128

Why each group works — not just what it is

INTERROGATE

These words all mean to question someone intensively—EXAMINE, GRILL, PUMP, and QUESTION are synonyms for interrogating.

THINGS WITH HANDLES

BUCKET, DRAWER, MUG, and UMBRELLA are everyday items that all have a handle as a key feature.

FICTIONAL CATS

FIGARO, PUSS, SALEM, and TOM are all famous felines from popular culture, spanning Disney, fairy tales, TV, and cartoons.

STARTING WITH SMOOCHES

Each word begins with a term for a kiss: BUSS (BUSSIN), KISS (KISSER), PECK (PECKISH), and SMACK (SMACKDOWN).

Word Guide — All 16 Puzzle Words

What each word means in this puzzle
UMBRELLA
A handheld canopy to shield from rain, notable for its curved handle.
SMACKDOWN
A wrestling entertainment show, but its start is a loud kiss sound.
SALEM
A talking black cat from the TV show 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch.'
BUSSIN
Slang meaning excellent or delicious, but here its beginning suggests a kiss.
DRAWER
A sliding storage compartment in furniture, typically fitted with a handle.
QUESTION
To ask someone for information, often formally.
PUMP
To persistently question someone for information.
GRILL
As a verb, to interrogate someone intensely.
MUG
A cup with a handle, typically used for hot drinks like coffee.
EXAMINE
To inspect or scrutinize something closely.
PUSS
Short for Puss in Boots, the swashbuckling feline from fairy tales.
TOM
The determined cat from the cartoon 'Tom and Jerry,' always chasing Jerry.
PECKISH
Slightly hungry, but the first four letters are a quick kiss.
BUCKET
A cylindrical container with a handle, used for carrying liquids.
KISSER
A person who kisses, or slang for the mouth—starts with a smooch.
FIGARO
A black-and-white kitten from Disney's 'Pinocchio,' later Minnie Mouse's pet.

Puzzle Design Analysis

Why the editor constructed it this way

This puzzle constructs an elegant trap: GRILL and PUMP in the interrogation group hide their verb meanings behind common nouns, while PECKISH, BUSSIN, and SMACKDOWN bury kiss synonyms so deeply that the purple category feels invisible. The fictional cats pull from Disney, fairy tales, TV, and cartoons, demanding broad pop culture recall. The handle group stays deceptively simple, letting the wordplay and cat knowledge become the true obstacles.

Difficulty & Analysis

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

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
STARTING WITH SMOOCHES

requires lateral thinking

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