Published July 20, 2026 · Updated July 20, 2026 · By Ranjit Kumar
Looking for NYT Connections word meanings for today? This guide explains the definition and meaning of all 16 words in the July 20, 2026 Connections puzzle (#1135), from the straightforward "announce" group to the sneaky hidden alcoholic-beverage wordplay. If you already know the words and just want to understand what each one means, you are in the right place.
Below, every word from today's puzzle is sorted by group difficulty from Yellow (easiest) to Purple (hardest), each with a clear definition. Tap Reveal Meaning to expand any word. Prefer to see the full grid answers first? Head to our live NYT Connections hints and answers for today.
⚡ Quick summary — today's four groups
- 🟨 Yellow: Announce
- 🟩 Green: Things to click
- 🟦 Blue: Associated with pearls
- 🟪 Purple: Starting with alcoholic beverages
👉 Want the exact answer words for each group? Get the full NYT Connections solution and hints for today.
Yellow Group — Announce
The easiest group today. Each word is a synonym for making something loudly and publicly known.
🟨 BLARE — Reveal Meaning
Blare: to sound loudly and harshly, like a horn or speaker announcing itself over everything else.
🟨 HERALD — Reveal Meaning
Herald: to signal or announce the arrival or coming of something important.
🟨 SOUND — Reveal Meaning
Sound: to make known or announce, as in "sound the alarm" to alert everyone.
🟨 TRUMPET — Reveal Meaning
Trumpet: to proclaim or announce something loudly and widely, as in "to trumpet the good news."
Green Group — Things to Click
A moderate group. Each word is something you click with a mouse or tap on a screen.
🟩 BUTTON — Reveal Meaning
Button: a clickable on-screen control that triggers an action when pressed.
🟩 ICON — Reveal Meaning
Icon: a small clickable image or symbol that represents an app, file, or function.
🟩 LINK — Reveal Meaning
Link: a clickable hyperlink that navigates you to another page or resource.
🟩 MENU — Reveal Meaning
Menu: a clickable list of options or commands you choose from in an app or website.
Blue Group — Associated with Pearls
This tricky group connects through the word "pearls" — some literal, some idiomatic.
🟦 BUBBLE TEA — Reveal Meaning
Bubble tea: the popular drink famous for its chewy tapioca "pearls" at the bottom.
🟦 OYSTER — Reveal Meaning
Oyster: the mollusk that naturally produces pearls inside its shell.
🟦 SWINE — Reveal Meaning
Swine: from the idiom "pearls before swine," meaning something valuable wasted on those who cannot appreciate it.
🟦 WISDOM — Reveal Meaning
Wisdom: from the phrase "pearls of wisdom," meaning wise and valuable pieces of advice.
Purple Group — Starting with Alcoholic Beverages
The hardest group and today's big trick. Each word begins with the name of an alcoholic drink hidden at the start.
🟪 ALEXA — Reveal Meaning
Alexa: starts with ALE — a type of beer. (Alexa is also Amazon's voice assistant.)
🟪 MEADOW — Reveal Meaning
Meadow: starts with MEAD — a fermented honey wine. (A meadow is also a grassy field.)
🟪 PORTOBELLO — Reveal Meaning
Portobello: starts with PORT — a fortified wine. (Portobello is also a large mushroom.)
🟪 SAKES — Reveal Meaning
Sakes: starts with SAKE — a Japanese rice wine. (As in the exclamation "for goodness' sakes.")
Why These Words Matter
Today's puzzle hides its difficulty in the Purple group. Words like ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, and SAKES look completely unrelated until you notice each one begins with an alcoholic beverage (ALE, MEAD, PORT, SAKE). Meanwhile, the Blue "pearls" group mixes a literal source (OYSTER), a drink (BUBBLE TEA), and two idioms (SWINE, WISDOM), so read every clue for double meanings before locking in a guess.
More NYT Connections Solutions
Catching up on other puzzles? Explore our latest guides and past answers:
- NYT Connections — today's full hints and answers
- NYT Connections answers archive — every past puzzle
- Sports Edition Word Meanings — July 20, 2026
- Soccer Edition Word Meanings — July 20, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the NYT Connections answers for July 20, 2026?
Today's four groups are Announce, Things to Click, Associated with Pearls, and Starting with Alcoholic Beverages. For the exact answer word in each group, see our full NYT Connections hints and answers for today.
What do the words in today's Connections puzzle mean?
Each of the 16 words is defined above under its group. This page explains the meaning of every word — from why "swine" connects to pearls to how "ALEXA" hides the word ALE — so you can understand the connections even after solving.
What is the hardest group in today's puzzle?
The Purple group — words starting with alcoholic beverages — is the toughest, because the answers (ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, SAKES) share no obvious theme until you spot the hidden drink at the start of each.
Where can I find older Connections answers?
Browse every past puzzle in our NYT Connections answers archive, updated daily.
Final Thoughts
That is every one of today's 16 words defined. The July 20, 2026 Connections puzzle (#1135) rewards solvers who read past the obvious meaning and spot the hidden words. Ready to check your grid? Get the full NYT Connections solution and hints for today, browse the answers archive, then check back daily for fresh NYT Connections word meanings, hints, and answers.
