NYT Connections Hints and Answers — Thursday, July 30, 2026 (Puzzle #1145)
Written by Ranjit Kumar — Lead Editor & Puzzle Architect
Ranjit is a lifelong puzzle enthusiast and the creator of ConnectionsSports.com. He has analyzed 1,000+ Connections puzzles and helps thousands of daily players master the game.
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🧩 NYT Connections Answers Today — July 30, 2026 (Puzzle #1145)
Here are the complete answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle, Thursday, July 30, 2026:
- 🟨 Yellow – Virtuous: FAIR, GOOD, JUST, RIGHT
- 🟩 Green – Activities With Multiple Balls: BEER PONG, BINGO, JUGGLING, POOL
- 🟦 Blue – Cruise Lines: CARNIVAL, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, VIKING
- 🟪 Purple – On the ___, To Mean "Precise": DOT, MARK, MONEY, NOSE
Want to try solving it yourself first? Scroll down for progressive spoiler-free hints before seeing the full breakdown.
Welcome to today's NYT Connections hints and answers guide for Thursday, July 30, 2026. If you're stuck on Puzzle #1145, you're in the right place. We'll start with spoiler-free progressive hints so you can try to figure it out on your own, then reveal the full Connections answers for today with a detailed explanation of each group.
📌 Key Takeaways — Puzzle #1145
- Date: Thursday, July 30, 2026
- Puzzle Number: #1145
- Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ (Medium)
- Trickiest Category: Purple — On the ___, To Mean "Precise"
- Easiest Category: Yellow — Virtuous
- Red Herring Warning: Watch out for "CARNIVAL"! It's easy to want to group CARNIVAL with festive events, games, or party activities like BEER PONG and BINGO. However, CARNIVAL belongs strictly to the major cruise ship operators group alongside PRINCESS, CELEBRITY, and VIKING.
📖 In This Guide
- Tap-to-Reveal Word Hints (Interactive Grid)
- Spoiler-Free Category Hints
- Progressive Category Reveal
- Traps & Misdirects
- One-Word Hints for Each Group
- Two-Away Hints (Almost There)
- Full Answers & Solution Revealed
- Per-Word Explanations & Definitions
- Difficulty Analysis & Strategy Tips
- How to Play NYT Connections
- FAQ
🔮 Connections Hint for Each Word Today — July 30, 2026
Tap any word to see its Connections hint — what it means in today's puzzle, no spoilers. Uncover all 16 to fill the progress bar.
VIKING Connections Hint Today
VIKING belongs to the Blue group ("Cruise Lines"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Cruise Lines".
Definition: VIKING is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While VIKING has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
GOOD Connections Hint Today
GOOD belongs to the Yellow group ("Virtuous"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Virtuous".
Definition: GOOD is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While GOOD has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
POOL Connections Hint Today
POOL belongs to the Green group ("Activities With Multiple Balls"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
Definition: POOL is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While POOL has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
NOSE Connections Hint Today
NOSE belongs to the Purple group ("On the ___, To Mean "Precise""). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
Definition: NOSE is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While NOSE has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
FAIR Connections Hint Today
FAIR belongs to the Yellow group ("Virtuous"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Virtuous".
Definition: FAIR is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While FAIR has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
JUGGLING Connections Hint Today
JUGGLING belongs to the Green group ("Activities With Multiple Balls"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
Definition: JUGGLING is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While JUGGLING has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
MARK Connections Hint Today
MARK belongs to the Purple group ("On the ___, To Mean "Precise""). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
Definition: MARK is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While MARK has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
MONEY Connections Hint Today
MONEY belongs to the Purple group ("On the ___, To Mean "Precise""). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
Definition: MONEY is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While MONEY has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
RIGHT Connections Hint Today
RIGHT belongs to the Yellow group ("Virtuous"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Virtuous".
Definition: RIGHT is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While RIGHT has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
BEER PONG Connections Hint Today
BEER PONG belongs to the Green group ("Activities With Multiple Balls"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
Definition: BEER PONG is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While BEER PONG has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
DOT Connections Hint Today
DOT belongs to the Purple group ("On the ___, To Mean "Precise""). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
Definition: DOT is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While DOT has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
CARNIVAL Connections Hint Today
CARNIVAL belongs to the Blue group ("Cruise Lines"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Cruise Lines".
Definition: CARNIVAL is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While CARNIVAL has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
PRINCESS Connections Hint Today
PRINCESS belongs to the Blue group ("Cruise Lines"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Cruise Lines".
Definition: PRINCESS is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While PRINCESS has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
CELEBRITY Connections Hint Today
CELEBRITY belongs to the Blue group ("Cruise Lines"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Cruise Lines".
Definition: CELEBRITY is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While CELEBRITY has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
BINGO Connections Hint Today
BINGO belongs to the Green group ("Activities With Multiple Balls"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
Definition: BINGO is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While BINGO has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
JUST Connections Hint Today
JUST belongs to the Yellow group ("Virtuous"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Virtuous".
Definition: JUST is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While JUST has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
VIKING belongs to the Blue group ("Cruise Lines"). Don't let its everyday meaning mislead you — in today's puzzle, think about how it connects to the theme of "Cruise Lines".
⚠️ Red Herring Alert: Watch out for "CARNIVAL"! It's easy to want to group CARNIVAL with festive events, games, or party activities like BEER PONG and BINGO. However, CARNIVAL belongs strictly to the major cruise ship operators group alongside PRINCESS, CELEBRITY, and VIKING.
💡 Spoiler-Free Hints — NYT Connections July 30, 2026
Not ready for the full answer? Try these progressive hints for today's Connections puzzle. We start vague and get more specific.
🟨 Yellow Group Hint
Theme Hint: Words used to describe someone or something that is morally upright, equitable, ethical, or proper.
🟩 Green Group Hint
Theme Hint: Games, sports, or performing arts that require more than one sphere or ball to play or perform.
🟦 Blue Group Hint
Theme Hint: Major commercial companies and fleets that offer vacation voyages across oceans and rivers.
🟪 Purple Group Hint
Theme Hint: Common words that fill in the blank in the popular phrase "On the [blank]" to express exact accuracy.
🔓 Reveal Answers Progressively
Reveal each group step-by-step. Click "See Hint", then "See Group Name", then individual words.
Yellow Connections Hint Today
Words used to describe someone or something that is morally upright, equitable, ethical, or proper.
Green Connections Hint Today
Games, sports, or performing arts that require more than one sphere or ball to play or perform.
Blue Connections Hint Today
Major commercial companies and fleets that offer vacation voyages across oceans and rivers.
Purple Connections Hint Today
Common words that fill in the blank in the popular phrase "On the [blank]" to express exact accuracy.
⚠️ Traps & Misdirects in Today's Connections
Today's puzzle includes words intentionally placed to misdirect you. These trap hints reveal which words are designed to mislead, so you don't burn your 4 allowed mistakes on deliberate decoys.
Watch out for "CARNIVAL"! It's easy to want to group CARNIVAL with festive events, games, or party activities like BEER PONG and BINGO. However, CARNIVAL belongs strictly to the major cruise ship operators group alongside PRINCESS, CELEBRITY, and VIKING.
Words like FAIR and BEER PONG might seem related at first glance, but they belong to completely different categories. FAIR is part of "Virtuous" while BEER PONG belongs to "Activities With Multiple Balls". Don't group them together.
Words like FAIR and CARNIVAL might seem related at first glance, but they belong to completely different categories. FAIR is part of "Virtuous" while CARNIVAL belongs to "Cruise Lines". Don't group them together.
Words like FAIR and DOT might seem related at first glance, but they belong to completely different categories. FAIR is part of "Virtuous" while DOT belongs to "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"". Don't group them together.
🔑 One-Word Hints for Each Group
Still need a nudge? Here's one word that describes each group's theme:
🟨 Yellow
VIRTUOUS
🟩 Green
ACTIVITIES WITH MULTIPLE BALLS
🟦 Blue
CRUISE LINES
🟪 Purple
ON THE ___, TO MEAN "PRECISE"
🔥 Two-Away Hints — Almost the Full Answer
Last chance before the full reveal. Here are two members of each group:
| Group | Two Revealed Words | Can You Find the Other Two? |
|---|---|---|
| 🟨 Yellow | FAIR, GOOD | What other words fit the "Virtuous" theme? |
| 🟩 Green | BEER PONG, BINGO | What other words fit the "Activities With Multiple Balls" theme? |
| 🟦 Blue | CARNIVAL, CELEBRITY | What other words fit the "Cruise Lines" theme? |
| 🟪 Purple | DOT, MARK | What other words fit the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" theme? |
✅ Full Answers — NYT Connections Today, July 30, 2026 (Puzzle #1145)
Here are the complete NYT Connections answers for today, Thursday, July 30, 2026. Puzzle #1145 is fully solved below.
🟨 Yellow — Virtuous
🟩 Green — Activities With Multiple Balls
🟦 Blue — Cruise Lines
🟪 Purple — On the ___, To Mean "Precise"
🔍 Per-Word Explanations — Every Answer Defined
Let's dive deep into every word in today's Connections Puzzle #1145 — what each word means, why it belongs to its group, and how the puzzle uses it.
🟨 Yellow (Easiest) — Virtuous
The easiest category is "Virtuous". Here's what each word means and why it belongs:
FAIR
FAIR is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While FAIR has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
GOOD
GOOD is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While GOOD has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
JUST
JUST is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While JUST has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
RIGHT
RIGHT is one of the four words in the "Virtuous" category. While RIGHT has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Virtuous".
🟩 Green (Medium) — Activities With Multiple Balls
The medium category is "Activities With Multiple Balls". Here's what each word means and why it belongs:
BEER PONG
BEER PONG is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While BEER PONG has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
BINGO
BINGO is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While BINGO has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
JUGGLING
JUGGLING is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While JUGGLING has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
POOL
POOL is one of the four words in the "Activities With Multiple Balls" category. While POOL has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Activities With Multiple Balls".
🟦 Blue (Hard) — Cruise Lines
The hard category is "Cruise Lines". Here's what each word means and why it belongs:
CARNIVAL
CARNIVAL is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While CARNIVAL has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
CELEBRITY
CELEBRITY is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While CELEBRITY has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
PRINCESS
PRINCESS is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While PRINCESS has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
VIKING
VIKING is one of the four words in the "Cruise Lines" category. While VIKING has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "Cruise Lines".
🟪 Purple (Hardest) — On the ___, To Mean "Precise"
The hardest category is "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"". Here's what each word means and why it belongs:
DOT
DOT is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While DOT has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
MARK
MARK is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While MARK has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
MONEY
MONEY is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While MONEY has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
NOSE
NOSE is one of the four words in the "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" category. While NOSE has many common meanings, in this Connections puzzle it specifically relates to the concept of "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"".
📊 Difficulty Analysis & Strategy Tips
| Group | Difficulty | Solve Order |
|---|---|---|
| 🟨 Yellow — Virtuous | ⭐ Easy | Solve FIRST — the easiest category |
| 🟩 Green — Activities With Multiple Balls | ⭐⭐ Medium | Solve SECOND |
| 🟦 Blue — Cruise Lines | ⭐⭐⭐ Hard | Solve THIRD |
| 🟪 Purple — On the ___, To Mean "Precise" | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Hard | Solve LAST or by elimination |
🎯 Pro Strategy for Puzzle #1145
Lock in Virtuous (Yellow) first, as words like JUST, GOOD, and FAIR clearly align around moral uprightness. Next, group the travel companies for Cruise Lines (Blue). Once those are set, isolate games and circus skills for Activities With Multiple Balls (Green), leaving the phrase completion puzzle (On the ___, To Mean "Precise") to finish Purple.
🎮 How to Play NYT Connections
New to the game? Here's a quick guide:
1️⃣
Study the 16 Words
Find four groups of four related words in the 4×4 grid.
2️⃣
Select & Submit
Tap four words you think belong together and hit "Submit."
3️⃣
4 Mistakes Max
Wrong guesses cost a life. After 4 mistakes, the game ends.
4️⃣
Solve All Four
Yellow = easiest, Purple = hardest. Solve all four to win!
🗞️ What Is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle game created by Wyna Liu and published by The New York Times. Launched in mid-2023, it has become one of the most popular word games online alongside Wordle. Each puzzle presents 16 words that must be organized into four groups of four sharing a common theme.
- 🟨 Yellow — Easiest (straightforward connections)
- 🟩 Green — Medium difficulty
- 🟦 Blue — Hard (tricky connections or wordplay)
- 🟪 Purple — Hardest (often abstract, suffix/prefix patterns, or obscure links)
📅 Yesterday's Answers — Puzzle #1145
- 🟨 Virtuous: FAIR, GOOD, JUST, RIGHT
- 🟩 Activities With Multiple Balls: BEER PONG, BINGO, JUGGLING, POOL
- 🟦 Cruise Lines: CARNIVAL, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, VIKING
- 🟪 On the ___, To Mean "Precise": DOT, MARK, MONEY, NOSE
❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Connections July 30, 2026
The answers for NYT Connections Puzzle #1145 (July 30, 2026) are: 🟨 Yellow (Virtuous): FAIR, GOOD, JUST, RIGHT | 🟩 Green (Activities With Multiple Balls): BEER PONG, BINGO, JUGGLING, POOL | 🟦 Blue (Cruise Lines): CARNIVAL, CELEBRITY, PRINCESS, VIKING | 🟪 Purple (On the ___, To Mean "Precise"): DOT, MARK, MONEY, NOSE.
The yellow category in today's Connections (July 30, 2026) is "Virtuous" and the four answers are FAIR, GOOD, JUST, RIGHT.
The purple category in today's Connections (July 30, 2026) is "On the ___, To Mean "Precise"" and the answers are DOT, MARK, MONEY, NOSE.
A new NYT Connections puzzle is released every day at midnight Eastern Time (ET). That's 9:00 PM Pacific, 5:00 AM BST, or 2:00 PM AEST. Bookmark this page for daily hints!
You are allowed up to 4 mistakes. After 4 incorrect guesses, the game ends and all remaining answers are revealed. Start with Yellow (easiest) to minimize errors.
The colors indicate difficulty: 🟨 Yellow is the easiest, 🟩 Green is moderate, 🟦 Blue is tricky, and 🟪 Purple is the hardest (often involving wordplay or abstract connections).
Yes! NYT Connections is free to play daily on The New York Times website and app. No subscription is required. You can also play unlimited sports-themed puzzles for free at ConnectionsSports.com.
As of July 30, 2026, there have been 1,145 NYT Connections puzzles since the game launched on June 12, 2023.
🏆 That's Today's NYT Connections Solved — Puzzle #1145
Come back tomorrow for Puzzle #1146 — we'll have fresh hints and answers waiting for you right here!
Questions or feedback? Contact Ranjit Kumar — puzzle architect and creator of ConnectionsSports.com.
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