Play Connections #1126
These are the 16 words in the order NYT shows them. Tap four words you think belong together and press Submit. You get four mistakes, and we'll tell you when you are one word away. Nothing is saved, so you can practise without touching your real streak.
Connections #1126 hints
Yellow is usually the easiest group and purple the trickiest. Start with one colour and see if the rest falls into place.
Hints used: 0
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Yellow group hintGentle hint
Picture the gear that acrobats and daredevils use under the big top.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Imagine a pond on a morning with no wind at all.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are residents of a kid's bedroom in a famous animated film series.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Check where the repeated letters sit in each word's spelling compared with the alphabet.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Several of the performer gear items could pass as playthings, which tempts you to mix them in with the animated film characters.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- CIRCUS EQUIPMENT
- UNDISTURBED, AS WATER
- "TOY STORY" CHARACTERS
- DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER'S ALPHABETICAL POSITION
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Difficulty: Medium. Three groups are straightforward, but the letter-position wordplay is tricky to spot and to pin down.
Connections #1126 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for July 11, 2026, with why each word fits.
Reveal one group at a time
Each colour opens in three steps: one word from the group, then the group name, then all four words. Stop as soon as you can finish it yourself.
Show one word
CANNON is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is CIRCUS EQUIPMENT.
Show all four words
CANNON, STILTS, TRAPEZE, UNICYCLE
Show one word
CALM is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is UNDISTURBED, AS WATER.
Show all four words
CALM, FLAT, GLASSY, STILL
Show one word
BO PEEP is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is "TOY STORY" CHARACTERS.
Show all four words
BO PEEP, JESSIE, SLINKY, WOODY
Show one word
AARDVARK is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER'S ALPHABETICAL POSITION.
Show all four words
AARDVARK, BOCCE, EBBING, TWIDDLE
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- CANNON: Human cannonball acts launch performers through the air.
- STILTS: Clowns and walkers use these to tower over crowds.
- TRAPEZE: Aerialists swing and flip from this high bar.
- UNICYCLE: Performers balance and ride this one-wheeled cycle.
- CALM: Describes a surface with no waves or disturbance.
- FLAT: Describes water with no ripples or swells.
- GLASSY: Smooth and mirror-like when nothing stirs the surface.
- STILL: Motionless, like a pond on a windless day.
- BO PEEP: Porcelain shepherdess and Woody's love interest.
- JESSIE: Yodeling cowgirl who joins the gang in the second film.
- SLINKY: Springy dog character voiced in the films.
- WOODY: Cowboy sheriff doll who leads the toys.
Purple group explained
- AARDVARK: Double A starts at positions 1-2, and A is letter 1.
- BOCCE: Double C is at positions 3-4, and C is letter 3.
- EBBING: Double B is at positions 2-3, and B is letter 2.
- TWIDDLE: Double D is at positions 4-5, and D is letter 4.
What does BOCCE mean?
An Italian lawn game where players roll balls toward a smaller target ball, called the pallino, trying to land closest. Similar to bowls or petanque. In the puzzle, it contains a double C, the third letter.
About Connections
Connections is a daily New York Times puzzle where you sort 16 words into four groups of four. Groups are colour-coded from yellow, the most direct, to purple, which usually relies on wordplay. You can make four mistakes. Looking back at past puzzles is one of the best ways to learn the kinds of tricks the editors like to use.
Other puzzles on Jul 11
Connections #1126 questions
What were the Connections answers on July 11, 2026?
CIRCUS EQUIPMENT: CANNON, STILTS, TRAPEZE, UNICYCLE. UNDISTURBED, AS WATER: CALM, FLAT, GLASSY, STILL. "TOY STORY" CHARACTERS: BO PEEP, JESSIE, SLINKY, WOODY. DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER'S ALPHABETICAL POSITION: AARDVARK, BOCCE, EBBING, TWIDDLE.
What was the purple group in Connections #1126?
DOUBLE LETTERS APPEARING IN THAT LETTER'S ALPHABETICAL POSITION: AARDVARK, BOCCE, EBBING, TWIDDLE.
What made Connections #1126 tricky?
Several of the performer gear items could pass as playthings, which tempts you to mix them in with the animated film characters.