Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1134) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SWITCH
• SWIRL
• LONG
• GAME
• POKER
• PAIR
• FLUSH
• STRAIGHT
• RELAY
• SYNC
• DRAIN
• FUSE
• CONNECT
• BREAKER
• REFILL
• JOIN

NYT Connections today (game #1134) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Elements of an electrical loop
• GREEN: Stick together, technically
• BLUE: What a loo does
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “race”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1134) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: CIRCUIT COMPONENTS
• GREEN: DIGITAL COUPLING VERBS
• BLUE: THINGS TOILETS DO
• PURPLE: ____ FACE EXPRESSIONS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1134) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1134, are…

• YELLOW: CIRCUIT COMPONENTS: BREAKER, FUSE, RELAY, SWITCH
• GREEN: DIGITAL COUPLING VERBS: CONNECT, JOIN, PAIR, SYNC
• BLUE: THINGS TOILETS DO: DRAIN, FLUSH, REFILL, SWIRL
• PURPLE: ____ FACE EXPRESSIONS: GAME, LONG, POKER, STRAIGHT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

My mistake came by including FUSE instead of SYNC in the group that became DIGITAL COUPLING VERBS. Although I’d argue that FUSE could be classed as a coupling verb, I attempted this grouping before seeing the far more appropriate CIRCUIT COMPONENTS.

It didn't matter, though, because I managed to score a purple first — in large part this was due to seeing POKER and automatically singing Lady Gaga’s debut chart hit Pokerface.

From there, GAME and STRAIGHT automatically followed, as well as the punchline to the only joke I can ever remember: a depressed horse walks into a bar and the barman asks him “why the long face”?

Meanwhile, THINGS TOILETS DO eluded me.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, July 18, 2026, game #1133)

• YELLOW: COMMIT A BASKETBALL VIOLATION: CARRY, DOUBLE DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL
• GREEN: BELIEF: ATTITUDE, MIND, OPINION, VIEW
• BLUE: THINGS TRACKED IN VIDEO GAMES: HEALTH, LIVES, SCORE, TIME
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "POP": CULTURE, FLY, QUIZ, TART

When developer Campo Santo released Firewatch in 2016, it was an unexpected hit. A debut title launching from a tiny indie studio with zero combat and doing really well is usually the stuff of fantasy, but Firewatch surpassed expectations – and it certainly surprised me.

Firewatch follows Henry, a man with a harrowing past. His wife, diagnosed with early-onset dementia, has been moved across the world to be cared for by her family. So, Henry makes a complicated decision to throw himself into an even lonelier situation by becoming a fire lookout in an expansive national park. He’s searching, perhaps, for an answer to all his problems.

It’s one of those games that doesn’t sound incredibly captivating. I mean, how hard can living in a remote tower looking out for flames really be? But it’s Firewatch’s narrative-driven storyline where the true magic lies, carrying you on an unsuspecting journey over a number of hours.

For some players, it could be a dull proposition. If I’m honest, 10 years ago, I wasn’t really into solely storytelling games. My brain worked a lot faster, and I was heavy into The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (and I’m still busy writing my feature wishlist for The Witcher 4). Yet, I played Firewatch on a whim, and it changed my mind.

Still burning bright

As the From the Backlog series launched, it felt like the perfect excuse to replay it. Oh, and the fact it’s celebrating its 10th anniversary!

The biggest surprise for me was how little I remembered. I had forgotten the immediate depth the narrative throws at you as conversations unfold on screen. I almost felt like I’d never played the game at all. I became lost in thought about whether I actually paid enough attention the first time around.

Everything I loved back then was still here – the art style, the mystery, and the problem-solving. But, as I’ve told people over the last ten years that they should play Firewatch, I’ve always been at a loss when it comes to explaining why. Now, I know exactly why. While Firewatch presents as a game that’ll follow just Henry, it’s the conversations he holds over his radio with Deliah, another lookout based across the park, that are utterly captivating.

Like Rob Dwiar’s Eastshade retrospective, Firewatch is a lesson in how to slow down wrapped up in a video game. This second time around, my mid-30s brain appreciated the pace, and for a replay, it almost felt like I was playing an entirely different game.

Solitude and substance

Through voice acting alone, they banter, swear, and even flirt at times. There are laughs shared, memories unravelled, and a deep connection sets itself firmly at the center of the game.

Perhaps it’s because you’re alone, or perhaps it’s because Campo Santo knew how to make you care, but whatever it was, it still works. Delilah’s constant reassurance (and occasional squabbling) over the radio is so much richer when there’s absolutely nothing to distract you. I realised I’ve been searching for this same feeling in games over the last decade.

I’ve played titles from What Remains of Edith Finch to, most recently, 2026’s Will: Follow The Light, but while their storytelling is enchanting, nothing looks the way Firewatch does. Something about the vibrant hues and vintage aesthetic makes me listen, and it turns out, all I needed was a replay to remember how intense and emotionally compelling the story really is.

As the days passed in my fire lookout tower, I didn’t want the story to end. I didn’t want to bury Firewatch for another ten years. And yet, after a handful of hours, it had come to an end once again.

At least, I thought, I’m finishing this time round safe in the knowledge that if I played again in 2036, I’d still get to feel the same way about this game. Oh, and I’ll also remember that I’ll always be bad at reading maps.

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1133) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TRAVEL
• FLY
• QUIZ
• SCORE
• OPINION
• CARRY
• HEALTH
• TART
• CULTURE
• MIND
• TIME
• GOALTEND
• VIEW
• LIVES
• DOUBLE DRIBBLE
• ATTITUDE

NYT Connections today (game #1133) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: NBA fouls
• GREEN: Your convictions
• BLUE: Arcade scoring systems
• PURPLE: Begin with a musical sound

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1133) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: COMMIT A BASKETBALL VIOLATION
• GREEN: BELIEF
• BLUE: THINGS TRACKED IN VIDEO GAMES
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "POP"

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1133) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1133, are…

• YELLOW: COMMIT A BASKETBALL VIOLATION: CARRY, DOUBLE DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL
• GREEN: BELIEF: ATTITUDE, MIND, OPINION, VIEW
• BLUE: THINGS TRACKED IN VIDEO GAMES: HEALTH, LIVES, SCORE, TIME
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "POP": CULTURE, FLY, QUIZ, TART

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I made my mistake after successfully threading ATTITUDE, MIND, OPINION and VIEW, although I was thinking about components of a debate rather than a BELIEF.

My error was, of course, confusion over basketball terminology. DOUBLE DRIBBLE and GOALTEND I knew, but instead of TRAVEL I selected SCORE. Which, on reflection, makes no sense.

Meanwhile my confidence over WORDS AFTER “POP” was fragile, but I successfully guessed FLY instead of SCORE. Before googling I thought it was an alternative to a zip fly. I now know it’s a baseball term.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, July 17, 2026, game #1132)

• YELLOW: GRAND FINALE: EPILOGUE, FAREWELL, LAST DANCE, SWAN SONG
• GREEN: SEEN IN AN ARCADE: CRANE GAME, PINBALL, TICKETS, TOKENS
• BLUE: FOUR GROUPS OF FOUR: CARDINAL DIRECTIONS, CLASSICAL ELEMENTS, SEASONS, SUITS
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A CAR: PLOT SPOILER, ROBIN HOOD, SATIRES, TREE TRUNK