NYT Connections Answer Today – #1216 (July 18 2026)

Need today’s NYT Connections answer without burning through all four lives? You’re in the right place. Below you’ll find every category, all 16 words revealed by group, and expert tips to sharpen your game – updated daily.

Today’s NYT Connections Answer – July 18

Today’s Groups and Categories

Here are all four groups from today’s NYT Connections puzzle (July 18):

How These Groups Connect

Each color group follows a distinct pattern. Here’s what to expect from each difficulty tier:

• Yellow – The most obvious connection. Usually a clean category like “types of pasta” or “shades of blue.”
• Green – Slightly more abstract. Words often share a broader theme or can follow/precede a common word.
• Blue – Requires lateral thinking. Look for wordplay, double meanings, or words that complete a specific phrase.
• Purple – The trickiest. Often involves hidden words, unusual pop-culture references, or a pattern that only clicks once you see it.

If you got “One Away!” – don’t just swap one word blindly. That message usually means one word belongs to a different category entirely. Step back and rethink the whole group.

What Is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times where you must sort 16 words into exactly four groups of four. Every group shares a hidden theme – and the game is deliberately designed with red herrings to trip you up.

Groups are color-coded by difficulty:

You get four lives (mistakes). One wrong guess = one life lost. Solve all four groups without losing all four lives to win.

How to Play NYT Connections – Step by Step

1. Visit NYT Connections – free with an NYT account.
2. You’ll see a 4×4 grid of 16 words.
3. Select four words you believe share a connection.
4. Press Submit to check your grouping.
5. Correct: the group is removed and color-revealed. Wrong: you lose one life.
6. Find all four groups to win. You have four lives total.

The puzzle resets every day at midnight Eastern Time.

8 Pro Tips to Solve NYT Connections Without Losing a Life

Research-backed strategies from seasoned Connections players:

1. Shuffle the board first – The default layout is designed to create visual bias. Hit Shuffle to see the words in a fresh arrangement before making any selections.
2. Survey all 16 words before clicking anything – A quick full-board scan often reveals one obvious group immediately.
3. Start with Yellow, save Purple for last – Yellow is almost always the most unambiguous. Clearing it early shrinks the board and reduces confusion.
4. Watch for overstuffed categories – If you see five or more words that seem to fit one theme, you’ve spotted a red herring. The game plants decoys deliberately.
5. Say the words aloud – Vocalizing triggers different memory associations than reading. You’ll often “hear” idioms or phrases that you couldn’t “see.”
6. Think about every meaning of a word – The harder groups (Blue, Purple) almost never use a word’s most common meaning. Brainstorm alternate definitions, slang, prefixes, and pop-culture uses.
7. “One Away!” means rethink, not swap – This message usually signals that one word in your group belongs to a different category. Step back and reconsider the whole group rather than randomly substituting one word.
8. Leave Purple for when all other options are eliminated – Purple answers often become obvious once you’ve cleared Yellow, Green, and Blue.

Frequently Asked Questions About NYT Connections

What is today’s NYT Connections answer?
Today’s answers for July 18 are revealed in the color-coded groups above.

How many lives do you get in Connections?
You have exactly four lives (mistakes allowed). A fifth wrong guess ends the game.

What time does NYT Connections reset?
The puzzle resets every day at midnight Eastern Time. A new puzzle goes live simultaneously for all players worldwide.

Is NYT Connections free to play?
Connections is free with a free NYT account. A paid NYT Games subscription is not required.

Who makes NYT Connections?
NYT Connections was created by associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu and launched in June 2023. It has since become one of the most played daily NYT games.

What are the hardest Connections categories?
Purple (the hardest tier) typically involves wordplay, hidden words inside other words, or niche pop-culture references. Many players complete Yellow and Green easily but get stumped by Purple.

Can I share my Connections result?
Yes. After solving (or failing), the game generates a shareable emoji grid showing your guesses in sequence – perfect for social media.

How is Connections different from Wordle?
Wordle tests letter-position deduction with one 5-letter word. Connections tests semantic grouping across 16 words simultaneously – it’s a completely different cognitive challenge.