Connections Hints

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — July 8, 2026

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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.

CARDS
DRIFT
GRATE
LORDS
PICK
PLANE
PLOT
PLUCK
SHAVE
SLIVER
STRUM
TAP
THEME
THREAD
WAX
WORSHIP
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Themes

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

CUT INTO THIN PIECESStraightforward
MOTIFModerate
GUITAR-PLAYING TECHNIQUESTricky
HOUSE OF ___Devious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

CUT INTO THIN PIECESStraightforward
WAYS TO REDUCE SOMETHING TO THIN PIECES OR SHAVINGS+ 3 more…
MOTIFModerate
WORDS MEANING THE UNDERLYING IDEA OR STORYLINE RUNNING THROUGH SOMETHING+ 3 more…
GUITAR-PLAYING TECHNIQUESTricky
THINGS YOU DO WITH YOUR FINGERS ON GUITAR STRINGS+ 3 more…
HOUSE OF ___Devious
EACH OF THESE WORDS FOLLOWS 'HOUSE OF' TO MAKE A FAMILIAR PHRASE+ 3 more…
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Full solution
CUT INTO THIN PIECESStraightforward
GRATE,PLANE,SHAVE,SLIVER

GRATE, PLANE, SHAVE, and SLIVER all describe methods of cutting something into thin, narrow pieces

MOTIFModerate
DRIFT,PLOT,THEME,THREAD

DRIFT, PLOT, THEME, and THREAD all refer to the central idea, narrative, or recurring motif in a piece of writing or conversation

GUITAR-PLAYING TECHNIQUESTricky
PICK,PLUCK,STRUM,TAP

PICK, PLUCK, STRUM, and TAP are all techniques a guitarist uses to produce sound from the strings

HOUSE OF ___Devious
CARDS,LORDS,WAX,WORSHIP

CARDS (House of Cards), LORDS (House of Lords), WAX (House of Wax), and WORSHIP (House of Worship) all follow 'House of' to form well-known compound phrases

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