What is the NYT Connections answer for July 2 (#1117)?

The four groups are THEY IMPERSONATE OTHER THINGS (COPYCAT, MIME, MOCKINGBIRD, T-1000); OLD-TIMEY NAMES FOR THINGS WE STILL USE (LOOKING GLASS, SPECTACLES, TALKIE, WATER CLOSET); STARTING WITH NICKNAMES (BILLY GOAT, DAN DAN NOODLES, RICH TEXT, TOM-TOM); STARTING WITH SPORTS VENUES (COURT JESTER, DIAMOND RING, FIELD MOUSE, TRACK RECORD).

Which Connections group is hardest today?

The purple group — "STARTING WITH SPORTS VENUES" — is the trickiest, as it usually relies on wordplay or a hidden connection rather than a straightforward category.

What do the Connections colors mean?

Yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple is the hardest — often involving wordplay or a hidden twist.

Thursday, July 2, 2026#1117

NYT Connections Hints & Answer — Thursday, July 2

DailyWordHints Editorial July 2

THEY IMPERSONATE OTHER THINGS

Easiest

OLD-TIMEY NAMES FOR THINGS WE STILL USE

Easy

STARTING WITH NICKNAMES

Tricky

STARTING WITH SPORTS VENUES

Hardest

Today's NYT Connections groups are THEY IMPERSONATE OTHER THINGS (yellow), OLD-TIMEY NAMES FOR THINGS WE STILL USE (green), STARTING WITH NICKNAMES (blue), STARTING WITH SPORTS VENUES (purple).

MOCKINGBIRD

FIELD MOUSE

TOM-TOM

COURT JESTER

MIME

LOOKING GLASS

TRACK RECORD

BILLY GOAT

DIAMOND RING

SPECTACLES

DAN DAN NOODLES

COPYCAT

TALKIE

RICH TEXT

T-1000

WATER CLOSET

Hints by group

yellowEasiest

greenEasy

blueTricky

purpleHardest

Full answers below

Today’s answers

yellowEasiest

greenEasy

blueTricky

purpleHardest

See all past Connections puzzles →

Today's Connections hints (no answers yet)

Here are spoiler-free nudges for NYT Connections #1117, Thursday, July 2. Reveal one color at a time and work from the easiest group (yellow) to the trickiest (purple).

How to use these hints

Each clue is written so it never names any of the sixteen words — it just points you in the right direction. Open the full answer only once you're truly stuck.

Strategy for solving today's grid

Lock in the group you're most confident about first to shrink the board, but resist the obvious four-of-a-kind — the puzzle almost always plants a word that fits two themes. Save the purple group for last; it usually hides the wordplay twist.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NYT Connections answer for July 2 (#1117)?: The four groups are THEY IMPERSONATE OTHER THINGS (COPYCAT, MIME, MOCKINGBIRD, T-1000); OLD-TIMEY NAMES FOR THINGS WE STILL USE (LOOKING GLASS, SPECTACLES, TALKIE, WATER CLOSET); STARTING WITH NICKNAMES (BILLY GOAT, DAN DAN NOODLES, RICH TEXT, TOM-TOM); STARTING WITH SPORTS VENUES (COURT JESTER, DIAMOND RING, FIELD MOUSE, TRACK RECORD).
Which Connections group is hardest today?: The purple group — "STARTING WITH SPORTS VENUES" — is the trickiest, as it usually relies on wordplay or a hidden connection rather than a straightforward category.
What do the Connections colors mean?: Yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple is the hardest — often involving wordplay or a hidden twist.