Play Connections #1135
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 #1135 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
Think about making something known loudly to a crowd.
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Green group hintGentle hint
You would point a cursor or tap a finger at these on a screen.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Each one connects in some way to small, round, shiny gems.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Check the first few letters of each word for something you might order at a bar.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Several words suggest noise and brass instruments, which tempts you to lump together things that make a racket when only some of them mean to proclaim.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- ANNOUNCE
- THINGS TO CLICK
- ASSOCIATED WITH PEARLS
- STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
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Difficulty: Medium. Two groups are straightforward, but one has a loose theme that needs a familiar saying and another hides its link inside longer words.
Connections #1135 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for July 20, 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
BLARE is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ANNOUNCE.
Show all four words
BLARE, HERALD, SOUND, TRUMPET
Show one word
BUTTON is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is THINGS TO CLICK.
Show all four words
BUTTON, ICON, LINK, MENU
Show one word
BUBBLE TEA is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ASSOCIATED WITH PEARLS.
Show all four words
BUBBLE TEA, OYSTER, SWINE, WISDOM
Show one word
ALEXA is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
Show all four words
ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, SAKES
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- BLARE: To announce loudly, like a horn blasting out news
- HERALD: A messenger who proclaims news; also the verb to announce
- SOUND: To sound an alarm is to announce a warning
- TRUMPET: To trumpet something is to announce it proudly
- BUTTON: An on-screen control you press to act
- ICON: A small picture you select to open an app
- LINK: Underlined text that takes you to another page
- MENU: A list of options you select on a screen
- BUBBLE TEA: Sweet tea with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom
- OYSTER: The shellfish in which natural pearls form
- SWINE: From the saying about casting pearls before them
- WISDOM: Pearls of this are valuable bits of advice
Purple group explained
- ALEXA: Starts with ALE, a type of beer
- MEADOW: Starts with MEAD, a honey-based wine
- PORTOBELLO: Starts with PORT, a fortified wine
- SAKES: Starts with SAKE, Japanese rice wine
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 19 | #1134 | ___ FACE EXPRESSIONS |
| Jul 18 | #1133 | WORDS AFTER "POP" |
| Jul 17 | #1132 | ENDING IN PARTS OF A CAR |
| Jul 16 | #1131 | STARTING WITH TINY MARKS |
| Jul 15 | #1130 | WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE |
| Jul 14 | #1129 | SYMBOLIZED WITH ARROWS |
| Jul 13 | #1128 | STARTING WITH SMOOCHES |
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 20
Connections #1135 questions
What were the Connections answers on July 20, 2026?
ANNOUNCE: BLARE, HERALD, SOUND, TRUMPET. THINGS TO CLICK: BUTTON, ICON, LINK, MENU. ASSOCIATED WITH PEARLS: BUBBLE TEA, OYSTER, SWINE, WISDOM. STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, SAKES.
What was the purple group in Connections #1135?
STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, SAKES.
What made Connections #1135 tricky?
Several words suggest noise and brass instruments, which tempts you to lump together things that make a racket when only some of them mean to proclaim.