Play Connections #1138
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 #1138 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
Each of these is round in three dimensions, not flat like a circle.
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Green group hintGentle hint
These all describe a wound-up, high-strung kind of energy.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are pieces of the facility where flights take off and land.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Look at how each word finishes, because math class is hiding in the last few letters.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
One word in the geometry-ending group sounds like air travel, which tempts you to pair it with the travel words, and one fruit could pull you toward the high-energy words if you think of color or zest.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- SPHERICAL THINGS
- IN AN ANXIOUS STATE
- PARTS OF AN AIRPORT
- ENDING IN GEOMETRY TERMS
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Difficulty: Medium. The round objects and travel pieces are easy to spot, but the hidden word endings and the close synonyms for a jittery state take some careful sorting.
Connections #1138 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for July 23, 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
BASEBALL is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SPHERICAL THINGS.
Show all four words
BASEBALL, GLOBE, MARBLE, ORANGE
Show one word
EXCITED is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is IN AN ANXIOUS STATE.
Show all four words
EXCITED, FEBRILE, FRENETIC, INTENSE
Show one word
APRON is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is PARTS OF AN AIRPORT.
Show all four words
APRON, HANGAR, RUNWAY, TERMINAL
Show one word
APPOINT is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is ENDING IN GEOMETRY TERMS.
Show all four words
APPOINT, DEPLANE, FELINE, JANGLE
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- BASEBALL: A baseball is a round, three-dimensional sphere.
- GLOBE: A globe is a spherical model of Earth.
- MARBLE: A marble is a small glass sphere.
- ORANGE: An orange is a round fruit.
- EXCITED: Describes a worked-up, keyed-up state.
- FEBRILE: Feverish and restless in a nervous way.
- FRENETIC: Wildly frantic, hectic energy.
- INTENSE: Strained, high-pressure feeling.
- APRON: The paved area where planes park near the terminal.
- HANGAR: A large building where aircraft are stored and repaired.
- RUNWAY: The strip where planes take off and land.
- TERMINAL: The building where passengers board and arrive.
Purple group explained
- APPOINT: Ends in POINT.
- DEPLANE: Ends in PLANE.
- FELINE: Ends in LINE.
- JANGLE: Ends in ANGLE.
What does FEBRILE mean?
Relating to or showing signs of a fever; feverish. It can also describe feverish, nervous activity or energy, which is how it fits the anxious-state group.}
What does FRENETIC mean?
Frantic, wildly energetic, and hurried in a frenzied way, often with a nervous or disorganized quality. It fits the group of anxious, agitated states.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 22 | #1137 | FEATURES OF A ZEBRA |
| Jul 21 | #1136 | TELE___ |
| Jul 20 | #1135 | STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES |
| 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 |
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 23
Connections #1138 questions
What were the Connections answers on July 23, 2026?
SPHERICAL THINGS: BASEBALL, GLOBE, MARBLE, ORANGE. IN AN ANXIOUS STATE: EXCITED, FEBRILE, FRENETIC, INTENSE. PARTS OF AN AIRPORT: APRON, HANGAR, RUNWAY, TERMINAL. ENDING IN GEOMETRY TERMS: APPOINT, DEPLANE, FELINE, JANGLE.
What was the purple group in Connections #1138?
ENDING IN GEOMETRY TERMS: APPOINT, DEPLANE, FELINE, JANGLE.
What made Connections #1138 tricky?
One word in the geometry-ending group sounds like air travel, which tempts you to pair it with the travel words, and one fruit could pull you toward the high-energy words if you think of color or zest.