Stuck on today's puzzle or just curious what all 16 words actually mean? This is your complete guide to NYT Connections #1128 for July 13, 2026. Below you'll find every answer sorted by color group, plus a clear dictionary-style definition for each of the sixteen words so you understand not just which words go together, but why.
If you want a nudge before seeing the full solution, check our NYT Connections hints for today. You can also revisit this grid anytime in the NYT Connections Puzzle #1128 archive.
NYT Connections #1128 Answers (July 13, 2026)
Here is the full solution to Connections Puzzle #1128, grouped by difficulty color:
- 🟨 Yellow — Interrogate: EXAMINE, GRILL, PUMP, QUESTION
- 🟩 Green — Things with handles: BUCKET, DRAWER, MUG, UMBRELLA
- 🟦 Blue — Fictional cats: FIGARO, PUSS, SALEM, TOM
- 🟪 Purple — Starting with smooches: BUSSIN, KISSER, PECKISH, SMACKDOWN
Now let's break down the meaning of each of the 16 words.
🟨 Yellow Group — "Interrogate" Word Meanings
Every word in this group is a synonym for questioning someone closely or intensely.
Examine
Examine means to inspect or investigate something carefully and in detail. When used in the sense of interrogation, to examine someone is to question them formally, as a lawyer examines a witness in court.
Grill
Beyond cooking food over heat, grill is informal slang for questioning someone aggressively and persistently. If a detective "grills" a suspect, they fire off rapid, probing questions.
Pump
To pump someone means to try to extract information from them, often subtly. You "pump someone for information" by asking clever questions to draw out what they know.
Question
Question is the most direct term: to ask someone a series of questions in order to obtain information or the truth, as police question a person of interest.
🟩 Green Group — "Things with Handles" Word Meanings
Each of these everyday objects is defined by having a handle you grip.
Bucket
A bucket is an open container, typically round, used to hold or carry liquids and materials. It features a curved handle across the top for easy lifting.
Drawer
A drawer is a sliding, box-like storage compartment built into furniture such as a desk or dresser. You pull it open using a handle or knob on the front.
Mug
A mug is a large, sturdy cup used for hot drinks like coffee or tea. Its defining feature is the handle on the side that keeps your fingers away from the heat.
Umbrella
An umbrella is a folding canopy of fabric stretched over a frame, used for protection from rain or sun. It's held and opened by a central handle.
🟦 Blue Group — "Fictional Cats" Word Meanings
This group gathers four famous cats from movies, TV, and folklore.
Figaro
Figaro is Geppetto's playful black-and-white tuxedo cat in Disney's 1940 animated film Pinocchio. He later appeared as Minnie Mouse's pet in several cartoon shorts.
Puss
Puss refers to the daring, sword-wielding feline hero of Puss in Boots, popularized in the Shrek films and his own spin-offs. "Puss" is also a classic affectionate nickname for any cat.
Salem
Salem Saberhagen is the wisecracking talking cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. In the story he's a warlock sentenced to spend a century as a black cat as punishment.
Tom
Tom is the scheming grey house cat from the classic cartoon Tom and Jerry, forever chasing the mouse Jerry. Fittingly, "tom" is also the general word for a male cat.
🟪 Purple Group — "Starting with Smooches" Word Meanings
This is the trickiest group. Each word begins with a hidden synonym for a kiss: BUSS, KISS, PECK, and SMACK are all words meaning "smooch."
Bussin
Bussin is Gen Z slang meaning extremely good or delicious, especially when describing food. The wordplay hides "buss," an old-fashioned word for a hearty kiss.
Kisser
Kisser literally means a person who kisses, but it's also playful slang for the mouth or face — as in "a punch right in the kisser." It hides the word "kiss."
Peckish
Peckish is an informal (chiefly British) word meaning slightly hungry. It conceals "peck," which is a quick, light kiss on the cheek.
Smackdown
Smackdown means a decisive defeat or confrontation, made famous by professional wrestling. Hidden inside is "smack," a loud, exaggerated kiss.
Why Purple Was the Hardest Group
The purple category in #1128 was a classic Connections trap. All four words — BUSSIN, KISSER, PECKISH, SMACKDOWN — have completely different everyday meanings, so nothing about their definitions links them. The connection is purely a hidden word: each starts with a synonym for kissing. Recognizing that pattern is the "aha" moment that unlocks the whole puzzle.
Final Thoughts on Connections #1128
Puzzle #1128 rewarded players who separated literal meaning from wordplay. The yellow and green groups were straightforward once you spotted the interrogation and handle themes, but the fictional cats and hidden-smooch categories required lateral thinking.
Come back daily for fresh solutions, or grab a quick nudge from our daily Connections hints and browse past grids like Puzzle #1128 in our archive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the answer to NYT Connections #1128?
Yellow (Interrogate): EXAMINE, GRILL, PUMP, QUESTION. Green (Things with handles): BUCKET, DRAWER, MUG, UMBRELLA. Blue (Fictional cats): FIGARO, PUSS, SALEM, TOM. Purple (Starting with smooches): BUSSIN, KISSER, PECKISH, SMACKDOWN.
What does the purple group in #1128 mean?
Each purple word begins with a synonym for a kiss: BUSS in BUSSIN, KISS in KISSER, PECK in PECKISH, and SMACK in SMACKDOWN.
What does "bussin" mean?
"Bussin" is slang for something extremely good or tasty, most often used to describe delicious food.
What does "peckish" mean?
"Peckish" is an informal word meaning slightly hungry.
