Connections Hints

Monday, July 21, 2025

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — July 21, 2025

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Show the word gridAll 16 words — you figure out the groups
Show the themesCategory names only, no words revealed
One word per groupTheme name + one word per category
Full solutionAll words and explanations
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Word grid

All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.

BONUS
CONDENSATION
CONTRACTION
EXTRA
FESTIVUS
FOOT
FREEZING
GRAVY
ICING
MELTING
POSSESSIVE
QUOTE
REGIFTING
SHRINKAGE
VAPORIZATION
YADA YADA
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Themes

The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.

ADDITIONAL PERKStraightforward
PHASE TRANSITIONS FOR LIQUIDSModerate
CONCEPTS FROM “SEINFELD”Tricky
WHAT ' CAN INDICATEDevious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

ADDITIONAL PERKStraightforward
THESE WORDS ALL MEAN SOMETHING BETTER THAN EXPECTED, LIKE A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA ON TOP+ 3 more…
PHASE TRANSITIONS FOR LIQUIDSModerate
WHAT WATER DOES WHEN IT CHANGES ITS PHYSICAL STATE+ 3 more…
CONCEPTS FROM “SEINFELD”Tricky
TERMS AND TRADITIONS THAT WERE POPULARIZED OR INVENTED BY A CLASSIC NBC SITCOM+ 3 more…
WHAT ' CAN INDICATEDevious
DIFFERENT GRAMMATICAL OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ROLES PLAYED BY THE APOSTROPHE+ 3 more…
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Full solution
ADDITIONAL PERKStraightforward
BONUS,EXTRA,GRAVY,ICING

BONUS, EXTRA, GRAVY, and ICING all describe something additional and welcome beyond what was expected or required — an added perk or benefit.

PHASE TRANSITIONS FOR LIQUIDSModerate
CONDENSATION,FREEZING,MELTING,VAPORIZATION

CONDENSATION, FREEZING, MELTING, and VAPORIZATION are all phase transitions that liquids (like water) undergo as they change between states of matter.

CONCEPTS FROM “SEINFELD”Tricky
FESTIVUS,REGIFTING,SHRINKAGE,YADA YADA

FESTIVUS, REGIFTING, SHRINKAGE, and YADA YADA are all concepts that were coined or popularized by the TV show Seinfeld.

WHAT ' CAN INDICATEDevious
CONTRACTION,FOOT,POSSESSIVE,QUOTE

An apostrophe (') can indicate a CONTRACTION (can't), a FOOT (measurement symbol), a POSSESSIVE (John's), or a QUOTE (opening quotation mark in some styles).

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