NYT Connections Puzzle #1135: Hints and Answers for July 20, 2026

The New York Times Connections puzzle for July 20, 2026 (Puzzle #1135) offers a mix of straightforward and tricky categories. With an expert difficulty rating of 3 out of 5, today’s grid features words that range from announcement-related terms to clickable interface elements, pearl associations, and a clever wordplay category built around alcoholic beverages. Here’s everything you need to solve it.

Today’s Categories at a Glance

• Yellow (Easiest): Words related to making an announcement.
• Green (Moderate): Common clickable interface elements.
• Blue (Challenging): Things associated with pearls.
• Purple (Most Difficult): A wordplay twist involving alcoholic beverages.

Hints for July 20, 2026

If you’re stuck, here are general hints for each group:

• Yellow: Think of terms that mean giving a shout-out or proclaiming something.
• Green: These are everyday words you click on a screen or in a digital interface.
• Blue: If you’re fond of jewelry, consider what is commonly linked to pearls.
• Purple: Each word in this category begins with the name of an alcoholic beverage.

One-Word Hints per Category

For a more direct clue, here is one word that belongs to each group:

• Yellow: BLARE
• Green: ICON
• Blue: SWINE
• Purple: SAKES

Complete Answers for Puzzle #1135

If you’re ready to check your work, here are the four groups with their words:

• 🟡 ANNOUNCE: BLARE, HERALD, SOUND, TRUMPET
• 🟢 THINGS TO CLICK: BUTTON, ICON, LINK, MENU
• 🔵 ASSOCIATED WITH PEARLS: BUBBLE TEA, OYSTER, SWINE, WISDOM
• 🟣 STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, SAKES

Note: The purple category is a wordplay — each word starts with a drink name (e.g., Alexa starts with ‘Ale’, Meadow with ‘Mead’, Portobello with ‘Port’, Sakes with ‘Sake’).

Final Thoughts

NYT Connections continues to challenge players to think beyond obvious links. Today’s puzzle shows how familiar words can hide surprising connections when you consider cultural references or word origins. Whether you breezed through the yellow group or wrestled with the purple twist, the game rewards lateral thinking and patience.