Play Connections #1141
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 #1141 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
Proud parents cheer and take photos when a little one reaches these early developmental steps.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Once everyone's must-haves, these gadgets now mostly gather dust in a drawer or attic.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
These are ways people describe a damp, drizzly day, some of them cheerfully poetic.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
One short word wears many hats, and each of these fits a very different context.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
Several food and eating terms are scattered around, plus a gadget named after a fruit, which tempts you to build a snack-themed group that doesn't exist.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- BABY MILESTONES
- OUTMODED CONSUMER TECH
- EXPRESSIONS FOR RAIN
- WHAT "SHELL" MIGHT REFER TO
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Difficulty: Medium. Three groups are easy to spot, but the last one needs you to think of one word with several unrelated meanings.
Connections #1141 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for July 26, 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
CRAWLING is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is BABY MILESTONES.
Show all four words
CRAWLING, FIRST WORDS, ROLLING OVER, SOLID FOOD
Show one word
BLACKBERRY is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is OUTMODED CONSUMER TECH.
Show all four words
BLACKBERRY, DISCMAN, DVD PLAYER, PLASMA TV
Show one word
APRIL SHOWERS is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is EXPRESSIONS FOR RAIN.
Show all four words
APRIL SHOWERS, LIQUID SUNSHINE, SCOTCH MIST, WET WEATHER
Show one word
CARAPACE is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is WHAT "SHELL" MIGHT REFER TO.
Show all four words
CARAPACE, GAS STATION, PASTRY CRUST, ROWING BOAT
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- CRAWLING: Moving on hands and knees is an early motor skill.
- FIRST WORDS: A baby's earliest spoken syllables are a big moment.
- ROLLING OVER: Flipping from back to tummy is an early achievement.
- SOLID FOOD: Moving beyond milk to purees and bites is a milestone.
- BLACKBERRY: Once-dominant smartphone with a physical keyboard, now obsolete.
- DISCMAN: Sony's portable CD player was replaced by MP3 players.
- DVD PLAYER: Disc-based home video was displaced by streaming.
- PLASMA TV: Flat-screen tech that LED and OLED sets made obsolete.
- APRIL SHOWERS: Proverbial spring downpours that bring May flowers.
- LIQUID SUNSHINE: Jokey nickname for rainfall, especially in gloomy places.
- SCOTCH MIST: A fine, drizzly Scottish rain.
- WET WEATHER: A plain way to describe rainy conditions.
Purple group explained
- CARAPACE: A hard protective covering, like a turtle's or crab's.
- GAS STATION: A well-known oil company that runs fuel stops.
- PASTRY CRUST: The baked outer case of a pie or tart.
- ROWING BOAT: A long, narrow racing boat for crews of rowers.
What does SCOTCH MIST mean?
A very fine, drifting drizzle common in Scotland, somewhere between mist and light rain, which soaks you gradually without seeming to fall heavily. It fits as a colorful regional expression for rain.
What does DISCMAN mean?
A portable CD player made by Sony from the 1980s, popular before MP3 players and smartphones. It played music discs through headphones, and it fits here as outdated personal electronics.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | #1140 | STRIP ___ |
| Jul 24 | #1139 | HOMOPHONES OF RELIGIOUS ROLES |
| Jul 23 | #1138 | ENDING IN GEOMETRY TERMS |
| Jul 22 | #1137 | FEATURES OF A ZEBRA |
| Jul 21 | #1136 | TELE___ |
| Jul 20 | #1135 | STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES |
| Jul 19 | #1134 | ___ FACE EXPRESSIONS |
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 26
Connections #1141 questions
What were the Connections answers on July 26, 2026?
BABY MILESTONES: CRAWLING, FIRST WORDS, ROLLING OVER, SOLID FOOD. OUTMODED CONSUMER TECH: BLACKBERRY, DISCMAN, DVD PLAYER, PLASMA TV. EXPRESSIONS FOR RAIN: APRIL SHOWERS, LIQUID SUNSHINE, SCOTCH MIST, WET WEATHER. WHAT "SHELL" MIGHT REFER TO: CARAPACE, GAS STATION, PASTRY CRUST, ROWING BOAT.
What was the purple group in Connections #1141?
WHAT "SHELL" MIGHT REFER TO: CARAPACE, GAS STATION, PASTRY CRUST, ROWING BOAT.
What made Connections #1141 tricky?
Several food and eating terms are scattered around, plus a gadget named after a fruit, which tempts you to build a snack-themed group that doesn't exist.