Play Connections #1146
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 #1146 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
These are all ways to bring something into being or give it a form.
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Green group hintGentle hint
Cast members from a classic Nintendo video game series, described by type rather than name.
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Blue group hintHelpful hint
Drop the first letter and something from the produce aisle appears.
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Purple group hintHelpful hint
Look at the opening letters of each word for a happy feeling.
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Where's the trap?Strong hint
One word in the character group and one in the happy-start group both name the same kind of living thing, which tempts you to pair them.
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The four group namesStrong hint
- CONSTRUCT
- SUPER MARIO FIGURES
- FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER
- STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS
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Difficulty: Hard. Two of the groups depend on spotting hidden pieces inside the words, and the first-name guess for the character group can easily send you down the wrong path.
Connections #1146 answers
Spoiler zone. Below are all four groups for July 31, 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
FASHION is in the yellow group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is CONSTRUCT.
Show all four words
FASHION, MODEL, MOLD, SHAPE
Show one word
DINOSAUR is in the green group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is SUPER MARIO FIGURES.
Show all four words
DINOSAUR, MUSHROOM, PLUMBER, PRINCESS
Show one word
DAPPLE is in the blue group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER.
Show all four words
DAPPLE, JDATE, SLIME, SPEAR
Show one word
CHEERIOS is in the purple group. Look for three more words that share something with it.
Show the group name
The group is STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS.
Show all four words
CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK, JOYSTICK
All four groups at once
Show all four groups
- FASHION: To fashion something is to make or craft it.
- MODEL: To model is to sculpt or build something into form.
- MOLD: To mold is to form material into a desired form.
- SHAPE: To shape is to give something a definite form.
- DINOSAUR: Yoshi is a friendly green dinosaur.
- MUSHROOM: Toad is a mushroom character, and power-ups are mushrooms too.
- PLUMBER: Mario's day job is plumbing.
- PRINCESS: Princess Peach is the one who gets rescued.
- DAPPLE: D plus APPLE.
- JDATE: J plus DATE.
- SLIME: S plus LIME.
- SPEAR: S plus PEAR.
Purple group explained
- CHEERIOS: Starts with CHEER.
- FUNGUS: Starts with FUN.
- GLEEK: Starts with GLEE.
- JOYSTICK: Starts with JOY.
What does GLEEK mean?
A fan of the TV show Glee, or in older usage a jest or mocking joke. In this puzzle it hides GLEE, a synonym for merriment, at the start of the word.
What does JDATE mean?
A Jewish online dating website and app that matches Jewish singles. In this puzzle it is the fruit DATE with a J added at the front.
Recent Connections puzzles
| Date | Puzzle | Purple group |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 30 | #1145 | ON THE ___, TO MEAN "PRECISE" |
| Jul 29 | #1144 | ___BOARDS IN A CLASSROOM |
| Jul 28 | #1143 | STARTING WITH PALINDROMIC NAMES |
| Jul 27 | #1142 | ICONS ON A SHOPPING SITE |
| Jul 26 | #1141 | WHAT "SHELL" MIGHT REFER TO |
| Jul 25 | #1140 | STRIP ___ |
| Jul 24 | #1139 | HOMOPHONES OF RELIGIOUS ROLES |
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 31
Connections #1146 questions
What were the Connections answers on July 31, 2026?
CONSTRUCT: FASHION, MODEL, MOLD, SHAPE. SUPER MARIO FIGURES: DINOSAUR, MUSHROOM, PLUMBER, PRINCESS. FRUITS PLUS STARTING LETTER: DAPPLE, JDATE, SLIME, SPEAR. STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS: CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK, JOYSTICK.
What was the purple group in Connections #1146?
STARTING WITH MERRIMENTS: CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK, JOYSTICK.
What made Connections #1146 tricky?
One word in the character group and one in the happy-start group both name the same kind of living thing, which tempts you to pair them.