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Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, August 5 (game #786).

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 #787) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BAIT
• PIN
• CROSS
• SQUAD
• HOOK
• SPEC
• NEEDLE
• BADGE
• STRAP
• BUTTON
• RAG
• SHAMMY
• RIB
• UPPERCUT
• BROOCH
• JAB

NYT Connections today (game #787) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Decorative adornment
• GREEN: To poke fun
• BLUE: In the ring 
• PURPLE: Flexing

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 #787) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: ACCESSORY WITH A POINTY FASTENER 
• GREEN: TEASE 
• BLUE: BOXING PUNCHES 
• PURPLE: MUSCLE NICKNAMES PLUS "S" 

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

NYT Connections today (game #787) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #787, are…

• YELLOW: ACCESSORY WITH A POINTY FASTENER BADGE, BROOCH, BUTTON, PIN
• GREEN: TEASE BAIT, NEEDLE, RAG, RIB
• BLUE: BOXING PUNCHES CROSS, HOOK, JAB, UPPERCUT
• PURPLE: MUSCLE NICKNAMES PLUS "S" SHAMMY, SPEC, SQUAD, STRAP

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I was quite the badge wearer when I was a kid, back in the day where it was essential to own a jacket covered with button badges of all your favorite bands. So, ACCESSORY WITH A POINTY FASTENER was a group I got very quickly.

I was less successful with TEASE, which claimed two mistakes. In my haste to complete another group I didn’t see the other possibilities and included JAB then CROSS before finally getting it right with RAG.

This is the second day in a row where I have completed Connections in difficulty order; the possibility of making it three in a row is already making me tingle.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, August 5, game #786)

• YELLOW: SUBTERRANEAN TRANSIT METRO, SUBWAY, TUBE, UNDERGROUND
• GREEN: MAKE INTO SMALLER PIECES WHILE COOKING CUBE, GRATE, MINCE, SLICE
• BLUE: USED TO DECORATE A SNOWMAN CARROT, COAL, PIPE, SCARF
• PURPLE: CODE DRESS, HEALTH, SECRET, ZIP

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, August 5 (game #520).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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

NYT Strands today (game #521) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Paint me a picture

NYT Strands today (game #521) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• BOSS
• STEW
• PILL
• CHUTE
• GUILTY
• SWEET

NYT Strands today (game #521) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #521) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #521) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #521, are…

• GUITAR
• BOOK
• SUNFLOWERS
• FRUIT
• JEWELRY
• PITCHER
• SPANGRAM: STILL LIFE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

It’s funny how sometimes you see part of a word but not all of it, but I had three examples of this today.

First, I spotted the non-game word “jewel”, but completely missed JEWELRY, then “pitch” before seeing PITCHER and “flowers” ahead of SUNFLOWERS. I am ashamed to admit I needed a hint to see that!

My crowning achievement, though, was seeing books but not BOOK. Don't quite know how I managed that!

Anyway, a lovely search today and I am sure some of you will know many famous paintings that feature these still-life staples. I know that Picasso was obsessed with the GUITAR and Van Gogh will always be associated with sunflowers. The rest I'm not sure of. Maybe there's a painting that features all of them.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, August 5, game #520)

• BINGO
• GIVEAWAY
• DRAWING
• SWEEPSTAKES
• LOTTERY
• SPANGRAM: LUCKY BREAK

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

• Nintendo has warned against using Switch and Switch 2 systems outside in hot weather
• You should avoid using the system in temperatures above 95°F / 35°C
• The announcement comes during a Tokyo heatwave

Nintendo has issued a warning to those using their consoles outside.

"When using a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 in a high-temperature environment, the device's temperature may rise," said a recent social media post that we have machine translated.

"This could potentially cause malfunctions, so please use it in a location between 5–35°C [41-95°F]," it continued. "Recently, temperatures have been exceeding 35°C [95°F]. Please be cautious when using it outdoors."

The warning comes as summer gets into full swing and temperatures begin to rise. In Japan, Tokyo and the Izu Islands are currently subject to a heat warning, with temperatures expected to reach dangerously high levels on August 6.

Parts of the US are also experiencing heat well into the region of 95°F / 35°C, while the UK is on the tail end of its latest heatwave.

Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 owners should think twice about using their systems outside in such weather conditions in order to avoid potential damage.

If you're looking for some games to try while sat right next to your air conditioning unit, check out our recently updated guide to the 15 best Nintendo Switch 2 games to play in 2025.

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