NYT Connections for Tuesday, July 21, 2026, puzzle #1136, mixes clothing, software, musical theatre and a prefix-based wordplay category. The hardest part is separating words that naturally appear to belong together from the groups the puzzle actually intends
The biggest distractions are TUBE, GRAM and BOOK, which immediately suggest YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Several other answers also have multiple meanings, creating believable but incomplete categories.
NYT Connections hints for July 21
- Yellow: Clothing worn above the waist.
- Green: Programs or tools installed on a computer.
- Blue: Important written and musical parts of a stage production.
- Purple: Add the same four-letter prefix to every answer.
Stronger Yellow clue: Think of different kinds of tops.
Stronger Green clue: These help computers or software perform particular tasks.
Stronger Blue clue: A musical such as Hamilton needs all four.
Stronger Purple clue: “Phone” follows the same pattern as the four answers.
Common wrong paths in Puzzle #1136
Social-media trap: TUBE, GRAM and BOOK naturally suggest YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. The connection feels convincing, but there is no suitable fourth answer.
Technology trap: APP, DRIVER, EXTENSION and PLUGIN form the correct software group, but PROMPTER and VISION may also look technology-related until the prefix pattern becomes clear.
Entertainment trap: MUSIC, LYRICS and ORCHESTRATION are easy to connect, while BOOK is the less familiar theatrical term needed to complete the group.
Today’s NYT Connections answers
Reveal the Yellow Group
Category: Kinds of tops
Answers: CROP, HALTER, TANK, TUBE
Each answer names a familiar style of top: crop top, halter top, tank top and tube top.
Why it was tricky: TANK can suggest a container or military vehicle, while TUBE strongly invites a YouTube association.
Best solving anchor: HALTER is the strongest clue because its clothing meaning is relatively specific.
Reveal the Green Group
Category: Software downloads
Answers: APP, DRIVER, EXTENSION, PLUGIN
An app is a software application, a driver helps hardware communicate with an operating system, and extensions and plugins add functions to existing programs.
Why it was tricky: APP, EXTENSION and PLUGIN form an obvious trio, but DRIVER may initially seem more closely connected to vehicles or people.
Best solving anchor: PLUGIN and EXTENSION provide the clearest starting pair.
Reveal the Blue Group
Category: Elements of a musical
Answers: BOOK, LYRICS, MUSIC, ORCHESTRATION
The book contains a musical’s dialogue, story and dramatic structure. Lyrics provide the words to the songs, music supplies the melodies, and orchestration assigns the music to different instruments.
Why it was tricky: BOOK has a specialised theatrical meaning that may be less familiar than LYRICS, MUSIC or ORCHESTRATION.
Best solving anchor: ORCHESTRATION is the most specific clue because it strongly points toward musical theatre.
Reveal the Purple Group
Category: Tele ___
Answers: GRAM, KINESIS, PROMPTER, VISION
- GRAM becomes TELEGRAM.
- KINESIS becomes TELEKINESIS.
- PROMPTER becomes TELEPROMPTER.
- VISION becomes TELEVISION.
Adding the prefix tele, meaning “at a distance,” creates four familiar words.
Why it was tricky: GRAM strongly suggests Instagram, while PROMPTER and VISION appear naturally connected to television or media.
Best solving anchor: KINESIS is the most useful entry because TELEKINESIS is highly distinctive.
What made Connections #1136 difficult?
Puzzle #1136 was built around words with strong alternative associations. BOOK, TUBE and GRAM looked ready-made for a social-media group, but each was needed in a more precise category.
The blue category also depended on knowing the theatrical meaning of BOOK, while the purple group required players to ignore definitions and test a shared prefix.
Solving lesson: A convincing set of three is not enough. Before submitting a group, make sure the fourth word fits just as naturally and that the selected words are not required in cleaner categories elsewhere on the board.
Players can attempt the official puzzle and review post-game results on the New York Times Connections page.
Make Swikblog your go-to source on Google for reliable updates, smart insights, and daily trends.
