Connections Hint
Puzzle #1145 · July 30, 2026

NYT Connections Hints for July 30, 2026

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

Thursday, July 30, 2026
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Today’s 16 Puzzle Words
Tap any word to see how it’s used in this puzzle
BEER PONGJUSTFAIRPOOLMARKGOODRIGHTBINGOPRINCESSCARNIVALCELEBRITYNOSEJUGGLINGDOTMONEYVIKING

Spoiler-Free Hints

Three levels — warmer as you read down
i Ultra safe

A direction for each group — no names given.

  • These words all share a sense of moral correctness.
  • These pastimes all involve multiple spherical items.
  • Names that often grace the hulls of ocean vessels.
  • Think about these words with one tiny addition — they become something else.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • Each of these words can describe a person of high moral character.
  • These are all forms of entertainment or competition that require several round objects.
  • You'd find these names on the side of large passenger ships.
  • Each of these words joins a short word to create a phrase that means 'exactly'.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • All four are synonyms for morally upright, typically describing a person's character.
  • All four are pastimes where you handle more than one sphere.
  • These are brands of vacation ships — you might recognize their distinctive names.
  • Fill in the blank: 'on the ____' — each word makes a phrase meaning precise.

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.

CARNIVAL

It might seem to pair with FAIR to form an amusement events category, but FAIR belongs to the VIRTUOUS group instead.

CELEBRITY

One might group it with PRINCESS as types of notable people, but both are actually names of cruise lines.

MONEY

At first glance it appears to relate to currency, while its real role is part of an expression about precision.

POOL

Could be mistaken for a swimming spot, but it actually fits with games involving multiple balls.

Connections Answers — July 30, 2026

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
VIRTUOUS
FAIR · RIGHT · GOOD · JUST
Tap to reveal
ACTIVITIES WITH MULTIPLE BALLS
JUGGLING · BINGO · POOL · BEER PONG
Tap to reveal
CRUISE LINES
CARNIVAL · CELEBRITY · VIKING · PRINCESS
Tap to reveal
ON THE ___, TO MEAN "PRECISE"
DOT · NOSE · MONEY · MARK
Tap to reveal
SEE ALSO:
NYT Wordle hints for July 30, 2026 NYT Pips hints for July 30, 2026 NYT Strands hints for July 30, 2026

Category Breakdown — Puzzle #1145

Why each group works — not just what it is

VIRTUOUS

FAIR, GOOD, JUST, and RIGHT are four synonyms for moral goodness or ethical behavior. This group felt straightforward, but its simplicity was cleverly disguised by the other categories' misdirections.

ACTIVITIES WITH MULTIPLE BALLS

BEER PONG, BINGO, JUGGLING, and POOL all involve handling or interacting with more than one ball. The double meanings—like POOL as a swimming hole—could cause confusion.

CRUISE LINES

CARNIVAL, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, and VIKING are all major cruise line brands. The words' other associations (carnivals, fame, royalty, Norse explorers) made this a sly grouping.

ON THE ___, TO MEAN "PRECISE"

Each word fills the blank in the phrase 'on the ___' to create an expression meaning precise: on the DOT, on the MARK, on the MONEY, and on the NOSE. Recognizing that a hidden preposition united them was the real challenge.

Word Guide — All 16 Puzzle Words

What each word means in this puzzle
BEER PONG
A drinking game where players throw ping-pong balls across a table into cups.
JUST
Based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.
FAIR
An adjective meaning just or impartial, but can also refer to an outdoor gathering with attractions.
POOL
A game played on a felt-covered table with numbered balls; also a swimming facility.
MARK
A visible trace or impression; 'on the mark' means precisely accurate.
GOOD
Of high quality or morally right; a general term for virtue.
RIGHT
Morally correct or justified; also a direction.
BINGO
A game of chance in which players mark off numbers on cards as randomly selected balls are called.
PRINCESS
A female member of a royal family; also a well-known cruise line.
CARNIVAL
A festive event often with rides and games; also the name of a major cruise operator.
CELEBRITY
A famous person, especially in entertainment; also a cruise line brand.
NOSE
The facial feature used for smell; in 'on the nose,' meaning exactly or precisely.
JUGGLING
A performance skill that typically involves keeping several objects, often balls, in the air.
DOT
A small round mark; part of 'on the dot,' meaning exactly on time.
MONEY
Currency in the form of coins or bills; 'on the money' means exactly correct or accurate.
VIKING
A Norse seafarer from the 8th–11th century; also the name of a cruise line.

Puzzle Design Analysis

Why the editor constructed it this way

Wyna Liu crafted this board with clever semantic overlaps. The obvious VIRTUOUS group masks trickier connections: ACTIVITIES WITH MULTIPLE BALLS uses words with common non-ball interpretations, and ON THE ___ hides an invisible prepositional scaffold. CARNIVAL and CELEBRITY lure solvers into a phantom 'fame' category, making the CRUISE LINES reveal a satisfying 'aha' moment.

Difficulty & Analysis

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

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
ON THE ___

requires lateral thinking

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