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NYT Connections Hints July 14: Clues and answers to decode the Monday puzzle #764
Global Desk | July 14, 2025 11:20 PM CST

Synopsis

The Connections game, which challenges players to sort 16 words into four related categories, has quickly risen in popularity, joining the ranks of other beloved New York Times word puzzles like Wordle.

The New York Times daily word game Connections continues to intrigue and challenge puzzle enthusiasts across the globe. On Monday, July 14, puzzle #764 took solvers on a creative ride through colors, car traits, whimsical titles, and some cleverly disguised Disney characters. For those grappling with the clues, here is a comprehensive breakdown of the Connections hints and final answers.

A Popular Daily Puzzle Grows in Appeal

The Connections game, which tasks players with categorizing 16 words into four connected groups, has rapidly gained popularity alongside other NYT word games such as Wordle. As the game enters its third year, players find themselves immersed in a blend of trivia, lateral thinking, and linguistic creativity.

For Monday’s edition, the categories proved especially tricky, involving subtle cues and cultural nods ranging from automobiles to animated films. But for those seeking assistance, the day’s Connections hints and answers are now revealed.

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The Categories: What to Look For

Category One: Shades of Blue
Clue: Think paint swatches or crayon labels commonly found in art kits.
Words: BABY, ICE, POWDER, SKY

This category grouped commonly known variants of the color blue, offering a visual clue that rewarded those with a keen eye for hues and pigment names.

Category Two: Adjectives for Sports Cars
Clue: Vroom-vroom! These are words you'd find in a car commercial.
Words: COMPACT, FAST, SLEEK, SPORTY

Here, the link was drawn between marketing language used for high-performance vehicles, appealing to automotive enthusiasts.

Category Three: Words Before “Roger/s”
Clue: Consider names or titles that often precede the word “Roger” or its plural.
Words: GINGER, JOLLY, MISTER, ROY

This more abstract category tested knowledge of phrases or names, particularly Mister Rogers, Jolly Roger, and Roy Rogers, requiring cultural familiarity.

Category Four: Disney Animated Characters Plus a Letter

Clue: These words look familiar—but off by just a letter.
Words: ABUT, BELLED, FLOUNDERS, SCARY

Possibly the most cryptic set of the day, this group involved minor letter manipulations to disguise familiar Disney characters such as Abu, Belle, Flounder, and Scar.


Community Response and Popularity

The July 14 edition sparked conversations across social media, with many players admitting they were stumped by the Disney clue set. The final group, which added a letter to iconic character names, particularly drew attention for its difficulty.

According to user posts across X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and Discord gaming forums, the Disney character group had the highest number of incorrect guesses. Memes and reaction GIFs made the rounds, with one player joking, “BELLED? Is that Belle with an extra D for Disney?”


Why This Puzzle Stood Out

What set puzzle #764 apart was the balance between straightforward and abstract groupings. The first two categories—Shades of Blue and Adjectives for Sports Cars—were accessible to a wide audience. In contrast, the final two demanded both cultural memory and linguistic play, a hallmark of NYT’s increasingly sophisticated puzzle construction.

Juliana Trask, a puzzle constructor for the NYT, remarked in a recent interview that the aim is “to create satisfying ‘aha!’ moments while keeping the game fresh with cultural references, synonyms, and wordplay.”

The Broader Appeal of Connections

As players log in daily for their fix of four-group challenges, Connections continues to build a strong base across age groups and regions. The success of this July 14 puzzle lies in its range—touching on everything from art and automobiles to classic television and Disney fandom.

Whether you’re a daily solver or an occasional dabbler, today's puzzle served as a reminder of why the Connections format works: it’s part quiz, part riddle, and entirely addictive.

Summary of July 14 Puzzle #764


Category

Words

Shades of Blue

BABY, ICE, POWDER, SKY

Adjectives for Sports Cars

COMPACT, FAST, SLEEK, SPORTY

Words Before “Roger/s”

GINGER, JOLLY, MISTER, ROY

Disney Characters + Letter

ABUT, BELLED, FLOUNDERS, SCARY


For fans looking to improve their chances, experts advise keeping an eye on overlapping themes, word transformations, and pop culture trends. As always, there’s tomorrow’s puzzle—and new Connections hints to decipher.

FAQs

What is the NYT Connections puzzle?
NYT Connections is a daily word game by The New York Times that challenges players to group 16 words into four categories based on common themes. It emphasizes lateral thinking, vocabulary, pop culture knowledge, and word association.

What made the July 14 puzzle (#764) unique or challenging?
Puzzle #764 stood out for blending accessible clues like colors and car traits with more abstract ones such as wordplay on Disney characters and phrases involving “Roger.” The Disney-themed group, in particular, stumped many players.



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