NYT Connections Answer (July 17): Tricky Links & Misleading Words. Were You Able To Guess Them All?

NYT Connections Answers: Connections is the latest brain teaser from the New York Times that's become a daily ritual for puzzle enthusiasts. In this word-based game, you must group 16 words into four categories of four each; be it themes, wordplay, pop culture, or even trick categories. Today's challenge, Connections puzzle number 402, is not an easy ride, with a few clever traps designed to mislead even seasoned solvers.

Read on for hints, category breakdowns, and the full answer, but only if you’re stuck!

Think it sounds easy? Today's game may have you questioning that confidence.

Yellow Category – Everyday Gym Essentials?

Hint: Think of items you’d toss in your bag before heading to the gym.

Answer: Band, Mat, Rope, Strap

These words sound simple, and perhaps that’s why they were easy to miss. All are typical workout tools – yoga mats, resistance bands, skipping ropes, and straps. The trick? Each word can belong to multiple contexts – "band" could also be musical, and "strap" could mislead you toward fashion. Those who didn’t focus on the fitness angle may have been thrown off immediately.

Green Category – Forced Out, But How?

Hint: What do “quit” and “eject” have in common?

Answer: Bounce, Boot, Can, Drop

This one relied on slang and informal phrases for being fired or removed. "Can" as in "get canned", "boot" as in being kicked out, and "drop" and "bounce" as ways to be dismissed. Many players might have grouped "drop" with sports or "boot" with footwear. But once one or two of them clicked, the theme revealed itself.

Blue Category – A Cinematic Chill

Hint: Feel a shiver run down your spine? Maybe it’s these classics.

Answer: Carrie, Halloween, Psycho, Scream

These are all iconic horror films – instantly recognisable once you catch the theme. However, "Carrie" and "Halloween" might not scream “films” at first glance unless you’re a movie buff. “Psycho” could just as easily be misread as a general insult, and “Scream” may sound like an emotion. That confusion made this category a blue-level challenge.

Purple Category – These Horses Don’t Neigh

Hint: Think less about farms, more about abstract or cultural connections.

Answer: Dark, Night, One-trick, War

This group was the toughest. “Dark Horse” and “War Horse” are commonly known phrases, but “One-trick Horse”? It likely tripped up many players looking for a more logical grouping. “Night Horse” feels odd – but as a stretch, “Knight” and “Night” might confuse your brain into linking them. Players unfamiliar with idiomatic expressions probably spent the most time here.

Did you crack them all, or did the Connections puzzle leave you scratching your head today? Come back tomorrow for a fresh set of categories – and twists.

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