Connections Hint
Puzzle #1118 · July 3, 2026

NYT Connections Hints for July 3, 2026

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

Friday, July 3, 2026
Get the hintsSpoiler-free · three levels ↓ Skip to answersJust give me the solution →
Today’s 16 Puzzle Words
Tap any word to see how it’s used in this puzzle
SHIRTFAR OUTHAPPINESSGROOVYBLISSGOLF ACCESSORYFELICITYDIRTY LOOKHOT DRINKWARM FUZZIESHARD TIMERUNAROUNDGOSSIPRIGHT ONCOOL BEANSCOLD SHOULDER

Spoiler-Free Hints

Three levels — warmer as you read down
i Ultra safe

A direction for each group — no names given.

  • These words all describe a sunny state of mind.
  • These phrases carry a vintage, upbeat vibe.
  • These are not the kind of gifts you'd want.
  • These clues point to items that share a curious sound-based link.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • These terms represent different shades of extreme contentment.
  • These slang terms for endorsement sound like they're from another decade.
  • Each is an unpleasant thing you might metaphorically hand to someone else.
  • The connection is entirely about what you hear when you pronounce a certain letter.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • All four words are synonyms for a state of profound joy.
  • These are slang phrases from the 1960s and 1970s used to express strong agreement.
  • They are all idioms describing forms of social rejection or mistreatment, often 'given' to someone.
  • Each phrase describes something that sounds like the letter T — think golf, beverages, conversation, and wardrobe.

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.

GROOVY

It looks like it could belong with the positive emotions, but it's actually a vintage term of approval.

RIGHT ON

At a glance, it seems like a phrase of personal encouragement or positive feeling, but it's retro slang.

Connections Answers — July 3, 2026

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
POSITIVE FEELINGS
FELICITY · WARM FUZZIES · HAPPINESS · BLISS
Tap to reveal
RETRO EXPRESSIONS OF APPROVAL
COOL BEANS · RIGHT ON · FAR OUT · GROOVY
Tap to reveal
BAD THINGS TO GIVE SOMEONE
RUNAROUND · DIRTY LOOK · COLD SHOULDER · HARD TIME
Tap to reveal
WHAT THINGS PRONOUNCED "T" MIGHT REFER TO
HOT DRINK · SHIRT · GOSSIP · GOLF ACCESSORY
Tap to reveal
SEE ALSO:
NYT Wordle hints for July 3, 2026 NYT Pips hints for July 3, 2026 NYT Strands hints for July 3, 2026

Category Breakdown — Puzzle #1118

Why each group works — not just what it is

POSITIVE FEELINGS

These four words are all synonyms for deep, sunlit joy — from the simple BLISS to the playful WARM FUZZIES. A straightforward vocabulary group with no tricks.

RETRO EXPRESSIONS OF APPROVAL

If you flashed a peace sign, you might have said GROOVY or RIGHT ON. These dated bits of slang all originated in mid-20th-century counterculture to express strong agreement.

BAD THINGS TO GIVE SOMEONE

These idioms all describe metaphorical gifts no one wants: you can give someone the COLD SHOULDER, a DIRTY LOOK, a HARD TIME, or the RUNAROUND. The word 'give' is the invisible linchpin.

WHAT THINGS PRONOUNCED "T" MIGHT REFER TO

A sly wordplay group: each answer describes something that sounds exactly like the letter T. A golf tee, a hot cup of tea, gossip as 'spilling the tea,' and a T-shirt all share that single phoneme.

Word Guide — All 16 Puzzle Words

What each word means in this puzzle
SHIRT
A garment worn on the upper body; the casual, collarless version shares its sound with a letter.
FAR OUT
A classic counterculture cry of excitement meaning 'awesome' or 'extraordinary' — heavily associated with the 1960s.
HAPPINESS
The simple, universal emotion of feeling pleased or content.
GROOVY
A vintage slang term for something excellent, cool, or pleasing, originally from jazz and later hippie culture.
BLISS
A state of perfect happiness or spiritual joy, often used to describe a brief moment of pure contentment.
GOLF ACCESSORY
An item used on the course, like a small peg to hold a ball; its name is a single letter sound.
FELICITY
An elegant literary word for great happiness or contentment; less common in everyday speech.
DIRTY LOOK
An expression of anger, disgust, or disapproval shot through a glare or side-eye.
HOT DRINK
A heated beverage often sipped from a cup, like coffee or a certain leaf infusion.
WARM FUZZIES
A playful, cozy phrase for the feeling of affection, comfort, or sentimental happiness.
HARD TIME
A period of difficulty or deliberate trouble given to someone, often as a form of harassment or bullying.
RUNAROUND
The act of evading someone or giving them misleading information, so they end up going in circles.
GOSSIP
Casual talk about others' private lives; in modern slang, the same word doubles as a hot beverage term.
RIGHT ON
An enthusiastic phrase of agreement or support, often used as a spirited affirmation.
COOL BEANS
A breezy, upbeat exclamation of approval or enthusiasm, popular among kids and teens in the late 20th century.
COLD SHOULDER
To deliberately ignore someone or treat them with disdain — as if turning your back metaphorically.

Puzzle Design Analysis

Why the editor constructed it this way

The editor planted a gorgeous red herring: GROOVY mingles with the positivity words, daring you to put it in yellow. The muted blue idioms all hinge on the unseen verb 'give,' a nice parallel structure. And the purple reveal is a delightful sound-alike puzzle — the cluing items (GOLF ACCESSORY, HOT DRINK, etc.) obscure the letter T until the last mental click.

Difficulty & Analysis

How tough today’s board really plays
Overall
5.5/10
Most deceptive
GROOVY

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
Things Pronounced T

requires lateral thinking

Connections Strategy Guides

Get better at the game

More NYT Connections Puzzles