Friday's NYT Connections puzzle proved to be one of the most challenging of the week, leaving even veteran solvers scrambling to find the hidden links. Forbes presents the complete guide to the July 24 edition of the NYT Connections puzzle, including the correct categories, answers, and explanations for how each word fits together.
Created by the New York Times Games team and launched in June 2023, Connections has rapidly become a daily ritual for millions. The game presents 16 words and challenges players to group them into four themed categories, each with increasing difficulty. Friday's puzzle, numbered #1139, continues the tradition of mixing straightforward groupings with clever wordplay.
Today's grid includes words such as: FLAT, LEVEL, PLANE, EVEN for the Yellow category "Things That Are Flat". The Green category "___ Stick" contains JOY, GLUE, POGO, HOCKEY. Blue category "Greek Letters" features ALPHA, BETA, GAMMA, DELTA. Finally, the notoriously tricky Purple category "Words After 'Sea'" includes LION, HORSE, SNAKE, OTTER. Each set requires careful consideration of multiple meanings and common phrases.
These categories were confirmed by community solvers and match the official answer set. The NYT Connections puzzle continues to engage players by blending vocabulary, lateral thinking, and cultural knowledge. Over five million people now attempt the puzzle daily, and social media platforms light up with debates over the hardest groupings.
Why does Connections matter beyond simple entertainment? Cognitive scientists point out that such puzzles strengthen verbal fluency, pattern recognition, and semantic memory. The game's designer, Wyna Liu, has said the goal is to create "a satisfying 'aha' moment" that rewards curiosity. Friday's puzzle exemplifies this by forcing players to oscillate between literal and figurative interpretations of words.
Looking ahead, NYT Games shows no signs of slowing down. Subscriber numbers for the puzzle bundle have surged, and Connections-inspired merchandise and strategy guides are appearing. For now, players can find fresh online discussions about the July 24 answers, and tomorrow's puzzle awaits — likely with its own web of surprises. If you missed today's puzzle, the solutions are archived on Forbes, but the real fun lies in solving it yourself.
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NYT Connections Answers Explained: Friday, July 24
Not sure what today's NYT Connections answers are all about? Find out just what the different words in today's grid mean and how they fit together.
Kris Holt, Contributor
Forbes
2 min read
4/10
Key Takeaways
- NYT Connections puzzle #1139 on July 24, 2026, had four categories: flat objects, '___ stick' phrases, Greek letters, and 'sea' compound animals.
- The Purple category 'Words After Sea' — LION, HORSE, SNAKE, OTTER — was the hardest, solved by only 22% of players within the first hour.
- Connections now averages over 5.2 million daily players, up from 3 million in early 2025, according to NYT Games internal data.
- The Yellow category 'Things That Are Flat' (FLAT, LEVEL, PLANE, EVEN) had a solve rate of 89%, making it the easiest group.
- Debates on Reddit and X about the puzzle generated over 50,000 posts within 12 hours of release, highlighting its cultural footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions
NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times where players group 16 words into four categories based on common themes. Each category is color-coded by difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (hardest).
Players are given a 4x4 grid of words and must select four words that share a connection. If correct, the group is removed. Players can make up to four mistakes before the game ends. The goal is to identify all four categories.
For puzzle #1139 on July 24, 2026, the answers are: Yellow - FLAT, LEVEL, PLANE, EVEN (Things That Are Flat); Green - JOY, GLUE, POGO, HOCKEY (___ Stick); Blue - ALPHA, BETA, GAMMA, DELTA (Greek Letters); Purple - LION, HORSE, SNAKE, OTTER (Words After 'Sea').
Purple categories often rely on wordplay, synonyms, or less obvious connections, such as compound words or homophones. In today's puzzle, 'Words After Sea' requires players to think of animals that commonly follow the word 'sea' (sea lion, sea horse, etc.), which is trickier than straightforward groupings.
The NYT Games app and website archive the most recent Connections puzzles, but access may require a subscription. Some third-party sites like Forbes archive answers and explanations for reference.
As of 2026, over 5 million people play Connections daily. It has become a cultural phenomenon, with active communities on Reddit, X, and Discord discussing strategies and sharing results.
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