The NYT Connections July 21 2025 puzzle (#771) brought a clever challenge for daily players of The New York Times’ popular word game. Known for blending logic, vocabulary, and pop culture knowledge, NYT Connections once again asked players to group 16 words into four connected sets. Each day’s puzzle updates at midnight and demands both creativity and keen observation.
In today’s game, the difficulty ranged from straightforward logic to nuanced cultural and scientific clues. The NYT Connections July 21 2025 puzzle featured categories like liquid phase changes, grammatical uses of apostrophes, and memorable “Seinfeld” references. Whether you breezed through or needed help, this guide offers today’s hints, answers, and tips to improve your strategy.
Hints for NYT Connections July 21 2025
Before revealing answers, consider the hints below to see if you can sort the sets yourself:
- Yellow Group Hint: All words mean getting something extra or unexpected.
- Green Group Hint: These words describe physical changes in a liquid’s state.
- Blue Group Hint: Familiar phrases from the “Seinfeld” sitcom.
- Purple Group Hint: Grammar terms linked to apostrophes.
Each clue tests a different type of logic. From TV knowledge to language structure, the NYT Connections July 21 2025 puzzle demanded flexible thinking.
Answers for NYT Connections July 21 2025
Here’s how the 16 words were grouped in today’s solution:
- Yellow (Easy): BONUS, EXTRA, GRAVY, ICING
– These words all refer to unexpected or added benefits. - Green (Moderate): CONDENSATION, FREEZING, MELTING, VAPORIZATION
– Each term relates to phase transitions in liquids. - Blue (Hard): FESTIVUS, REGIFTING, SHRINKAGE, YADA YADA
– Iconic lingo popularized by Seinfeld. - Purple (Tricky): CONTRACTION, FOOT, POSSESSIVE, QUOTE
– All are grammatical concepts tied to apostrophes.
Many players found the purple category especially difficult. Grammar-themed groupings often rely on understanding multiple meanings. If you made it through with no strikes, you earned your win today.
How NYT Connections Works
In NYT Connections, you are shown 16 seemingly unrelated words and asked to group them into four linked sets. You get four incorrect attempts before the game ends. The difficulty levels rise from yellow (easiest) to purple (most difficult). The trick is to think laterally, connections can be thematic, linguistic, scientific, or cultural.
Tips for Solving NYT Connections
To beat puzzles like NYT Connections July 21 2025, keep these strategies in mind:
- Start with the obvious: Tackle easy (yellow) sets first.
- Say words aloud: Hearing them can spark associations.
- Group by category: Think themes like TV shows, grammar, science, etc.
- Shuffle the grid: Rearranging the words visually can shift your perspective.
- Step away briefly: A break may offer fresh insight.
Why July 21’s Puzzle Was Memorable
What made the NYT Connections July 21 2025 puzzle stand out was its diverse category set. It tested players across fields: grammar, science, and entertainment. “Seinfeld” references added nostalgia, while the phase-change terms required scientific knowledge. That mix made today’s game especially satisfying for solvers who enjoy variety.

