Connections Hints

Friday, July 31, 2026

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — July 31, 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
← Back to hint toolLoad any date with the interactive hint ladder
Word grid

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

CHEERIOS
DAPPLE
DINOSAUR
FASHION
FUNGUS
GLEEK
JDATE
JOYSTICK
MODEL
MOLD
MUSHROOM
PLUMBER
PRINCESS
SHAPE
SLIME
SPEAR
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Themes

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

CONSTRUCTStraightforward
SUPER MARIO FIGURESModerate
FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTERTricky
STARTING WITH MERRIMENTSDevious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

CONSTRUCTStraightforward
THESE WORDS ALL MEAN TO BUILD OR CREATE SOMETHING+ 3 more…
SUPER MARIO FIGURESModerate
CHARACTERS YOU'D MEET IN THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM+ 3 more…
FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTERTricky
ADD A LETTER TO THE START OF A FRUIT TO GET A NEW WORD+ 3 more…
STARTING WITH MERRIMENTSDevious
EACH WORD BEGINS WITH A SYNONYM FOR JOY OR LAUGHTER+ 3 more…
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Full solution
CONSTRUCTStraightforward
FASHION,MODEL,MOLD,SHAPE

FASHION, MODEL, MOLD, and SHAPE all mean to construct or create something, synonyms for building or forming an object

SUPER MARIO FIGURESModerate
DINOSAUR,MUSHROOM,PLUMBER,PRINCESS

DINOSAUR (Yoshi), MUSHROOM (Toad), PLUMBER (Mario), and PRINCESS (Peach) are all iconic figures from the Super Mario franchise

FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTERTricky
DAPPLE,JDATE,SLIME,SPEAR

Each word contains a fruit with an extra starting letter: D+APPLE=DAPPLE, J+DATE=JDATE, SL+LIME=SLIME, SP+EAR=SPEAR

STARTING WITH MERRIMENTSDevious
CHEERIOS,FUNGUS,GLEEK,JOYSTICK

Each word starts with a word meaning merriment: CHEER+IOS, FUN+GUS, GLEE+K, JOY+STICK

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