NYT Connections Answer Today (July 23): Steak Cuts, Spooky Creatures, & A Quirky Animal Twist

NYT Connections Answers: NYT Connections #772 is live, and today's groupings may have tested your vocabulary, imagination, and food knowledge. If you struggled with fictional creatures or confusing animal names, don’t worry, we've broken it all down with hints, categories, and detailed explanations of each group.

How To Play NYT Connections

Connections is The New York Times’ word puzzle game where you group 16 words into four sets of four, each tied together by a common theme. You get a maximum of four incorrect tries.

The categories range from easy (yellow) to difficult (purple), and a successful solve depends on your ability to find clever or obscure links between words.

Yellow Category: Scary Imaginary Creatures

Hint: These words refer to mythical or fictional figures meant to frighten, often used in stories or folklore.
Final Words in the Group:

  • Bogeyman
  • Bugbear
  • Hobgoblin
  • Phantom

Each of these characters is drawn from horror tales, legends, or childhood fears. “Bogeyman” and “Hobgoblin” are especially common in folklore, while “Phantom” suggests a ghostly or supernatural presence.

Green Category: Steaks

Hint: If you're familiar with types of beef cuts or fine dining, these words might’ve stood out.
Final Words in the Group:

  • Chateaubriand
  • Flatiron
  • Porterhouse
  • Tomahawk

These are all well-known steak cuts, with “Chateaubriand” and “Tomahawk” being especially popular in gourmet cuisine. A meat lover or foodie would’ve likely found this group first.

Blue Category: Real Estate Terms

Hint: Think about what you hear when buying a house, especially in legal or financial contexts.
Final Words in the Group:

  • Appraisal
  • Escrow
  • Insurance
  • Mortgage

These terms are commonly associated with home buying and property management. “Escrow” and “Mortgage” stand out in American real estate lingo, while “Insurance” and “Appraisal” are part of the transaction process.

Purple Category: Animals Ending In Animal Names

Hint: A tricky linguistic twist, each of these animals ends with another animal’s name.
Final Words in the Group:

  • Geoduck
  • Seahorse
  • Titmouse
  • Wombat

This was the most difficult category. “Seahorse” ends in “horse,” “Titmouse” in “mouse,” and “Wombat” finishes with “bat.” “Geoduck” is less obvious, but “duck” is buried within. It’s a creative language-based connection.

Keep Your Streak Going

Today’s Connections puzzle was more challenging than usual, especially if you're unfamiliar with gourmet steak cuts or zoological oddities. The “Animals Ending In Animals” group required lateral thinking and familiarity with compound animal names. Meanwhile, the “Seinfeld” flavour of yesterday’s puzzle was replaced with more universally themed categories today.

Come back tomorrow for fresh clues and solutions, and keep your winning streak alive.

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