Understanding the Connections Puzzle for July 21, 2025
If you’re looking for the answers to the Connections puzzle on Monday, July 21, 2025, you’ve come to the right place. This article will provide clues, tips, and strategies to help you solve the puzzle, along with the final answers for all four categories. Along the way, we’ll break down the meanings of some of the trickier words and explain how everything connects.
Categories in Today’s Puzzle
The Connections puzzle features four different categories, each with its own theme. Here are some spoiler-free hints that describe the type of each category:
- Yellow Category: Similar nouns.
- Green Category: Similar nouns.
- Blue Category: Pop culture.
- Purple Category: Same symbol.
Hints for the Themes
Here are some more specific hints about the groupings in today’s puzzle:
- Yellow Category: A benefit.
- Green Category: Caused by temperature change.
- Blue Category: Iconic sitcom things.
- Purple Category: They all relate to a key on your keyboard.
Important Notes About the Puzzle
Some of the words might seem tricky at first. For example, ICING doesn’t go with FREEZING, even though both involve cold. Also, SHRINKAGE is an unusual term that refers to an anatomical side effect from cold water, as mentioned in Seinfeld. Meanwhile, FOOT can refer to a unit of measurement.
The Categories Revealed
Here are the full categories and their corresponding words:
Yellow Category: Additional Perk
- BONUS
- EXTRA
- GRAVY
- ICING
This category includes words that describe something extra or added on to a situation.
Green Category: Phase Transitions for Liquids
- CONDENSATION
- FREEZING
- MELTING
- VAPORIZATION
These words all relate to changes in the state of matter, specifically for liquids.
Blue Category: Concepts from “Seinfeld”
- FESTIVUS
- REGIFTING
- SHRINKAGE
- YADA YADA
This group includes references to iconic moments and concepts from the popular sitcom Seinfeld.
Purple Category: What an Apostrophe Can Indicate
- CONTRACTION
- FOOT
- POSSESSIVE
- QUOTE
These words represent different uses of an apostrophe in English grammar. An apostrophe can indicate possession (like “Tim’s coffee”), a contraction (like “it’s”), a quote (like in dialogue), or a measurement (like “5’”).
How I Solved the Puzzle
One of the most obvious categories was the Seinfeld references, which included SHRINKAGE, YADA YADA, FESTIVUS, and REGIFTING. Another category involved grammar-related terms, such as POSSESSIVE and CONTRACTION. When considering what an apostrophe can indicate, QUOTE and FOOT also fit well into this group.
At first, I thought ICING and FREEZING might be related, but it became clear that FREEZING belongs with CONDENSATION, MELTING, and VAPORIZATION, which all describe phase changes in liquids. That left ICING, BONUS, GRAVY, and EXTRA, which all point to something unexpectedly good added to a situation.
How to Play Connections
To play Connections, you’ll need to find the game either on the New York Times website or in their Games app. The game board consists of 16 tiles, each with a word or phrase. Your task is to find groups of four that share a common theme. These themes can be straightforward, like types of weather, or involve wordplay, such as different types of lists.
Once you select a group of four tiles, hit the Submit button. If you’re correct, the category and color will be revealed. Yellow is the easiest, followed by green, then blue, and finally purple. If you’re incorrect, you can try again. You win when you’ve correctly identified all four groups, but if you make four mistakes, the game ends and the answers are shown.
Tips for Winning Connections
One of the most important strategies for winning is understanding that the groupings can be tricky and sometimes overlap. For example, a word might fit into multiple categories, so it’s crucial to confirm that your group of four contains only those four words.
If you’re stuck, look for words that seem to have no connection to others. Sometimes, these are the key to solving the puzzle. Additionally, using online resources or hints can be helpful when you’re struggling.
Final Thoughts
Solving the Connections puzzle requires a mix of logic, creativity, and knowledge of language and pop culture. By following the clues and thinking critically, you can unlock the hidden connections and enjoy the challenge. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the game, there’s always something new to learn. Keep practicing, and you’ll soon become a Connections expert.
