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NYT Connections · #1134

NYT Connections Hints & Answers (#1134) — July 19, 2026

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“Before you commit to any group, test each word as a two-word phrase with "face" at the end — that unlocks the hardest category and frees up words that look like they belong elsewhere.FLUSH has appeared many times before — as poker hands in Connections #940 (Jan 6, 2026), and as words meaning to go red in the face in Connections #456 (Sep 9, 2024). Today it belongs to neither of those worlds. STRAIGHT also appeared in Connections #940 (Jan 6, 2026) as a poker hand, but today it is playing a different role entirely.”

NYT Connections hints for July 19, 2026

Three levels of help — a definition for every word, colour-coded group nudges, and a heads-up on the traps. Skip to all answers →

1

Word clues

A spoiler-free definition for every word in the grid. Tap the eye on any card to reveal which colour-group it belongs to.

1 BREAKERThe thing that trips in your fuse box when you overload a circuit.
2 CONNECTThe generic tech verb for establishing a link between two devices or networks.
3 DRAINThe water exits through here after the flush — also a very well-travelled Connections word.
4 FLUSHLooks like a poker hand; here it's the main event when you press the handle.
5 FUSEA sacrificial wire that burns out to protect the rest of the circuit.
6 GAMEGame face — the focused, determined look you put on before a big challenge.
7 JOINWhat you do to a Wi-Fi network or a shared workspace.
8 LONGLong face — the drooping expression that signals disappointment or sadness.
9 PAIRThe specific word Bluetooth uses when two devices lock onto each other.
10 POKERPoker face — the blank expression that hides exactly what you're thinking; also a Lady Gaga song.
11 REFILLWhat the tank quietly does after the flush is done.
12 RELAYLooks like a race leg or a network term; here it's an electrically operated switch in a circuit.
13 STRAIGHTStraight face — the neutral expression you hold when trying not to laugh.
14 SWIRLThe visible spin of the water as it heads down the drain.
15 SWITCHLooks like a digital networking device; here it's the basic on/off component in a circuit.
16 SYNCWhat your phone does to match its data with the cloud or another device.
2

Group hints

Four colour-coded groups, easiest → hardest. Every button reveals the hint, the category name, or a single word — tap only what you need.

See Hint An electrician installs all four of these on a circuit board.
See Group CIRCUIT COMPONENTS
See WordBREAKER
See WordFUSE
See WordRELAY
See WordSWITCH
See Hint Tap these in your phone's settings to link two devices.
See Group DIGITAL COUPLING VERBS
See WordCONNECT
See WordJOIN
See WordPAIR
See WordSYNC
See Hint Stand in a bathroom and you will hear or see all four.
See Group THINGS TOILETS DO
See WordDRAIN
See WordFLUSH
See WordREFILL
See WordSWIRL
See Hint Each word completes a phrase about what your face gives away.
See Group ___ FACE EXPRESSIONS
See WordGAME
See WordLONG
See WordPOKER
See WordSTRAIGHT
3

Words the puzzle wants you to mis-group

Read these before you guess — they're the words most likely to break a streak. Tap for the trap.

1 FLUSH Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of a poker hand — and STRAIGHT is right there to reinforce that reading — but here the puzzle is using it as something a toilet does, not a card game term.
2 STRAIGHT Tap to see why this word traps.
You're likely reading it as a poker hand or simply meaning not curved, but the puzzle is using it as the first word of a common idiom about facial expression.
3 SWITCH Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably thinking of a network switch or a digital toggle, which makes it look like a tech linking verb — but here it's a physical component in an electrical circuit.
4 RELAY Tap to see why this word traps.
You're likely picturing a relay race or a server relay in networking, but the puzzle is using it as an electrical component, not a digital or athletic term.
5 GAME Tap to see why this word traps.
You're probably reading it as something you play or as competitive spirit, but here it's the first word of a phrase about the look on someone's face before a big moment.

NYT Connections answers for July 19, 2026

All four groups revealed, easiest first. Each card holds the theme, the four words, and why the group works.

Y CIRCUIT COMPONENTS · Yellow · easiest
  • BREAKER
  • FUSE
  • RELAY
  • SWITCH

BREAKER, FUSE, RELAY and SWITCH are all components found in electrical circuits. RELAY is the sneakiest — most solvers think of a relay race or a network relay before the circuit board meaning clicks.

G DIGITAL COUPLING VERBS · Green · easy
  • CONNECT
  • JOIN
  • PAIR
  • SYNC

CONNECT, JOIN, PAIR and SYNC are all verbs you encounter when linking devices or accounts in a digital or tech context. PAIR is the most specific — it's the exact word Bluetooth uses when two devices find each other.

B THINGS TOILETS DO · Blue · medium
  • DRAIN
  • FLUSH
  • REFILL
  • SWIRL

DRAIN, FLUSH, REFILL and SWIRL are all things a toilet does during its cycle. FLUSH is the trap — it doubles as a poker hand, which is exactly the bait the puzzle sets with STRAIGHT sitting nearby.

P ___ FACE EXPRESSIONS · Purple · hardest
  • GAME
  • LONG
  • POKER
  • STRAIGHT

GAME, LONG, POKER and STRAIGHT all precede the word FACE to form common English idioms: game face, long face, poker face, straight face. POKER is the biggest trap — it screams card game, especially with FLUSH and STRAIGHT on the board, but here it belongs to this idiom group.

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