Connections archive · Puzzle #1116
NYT Connections Hints & Answers — July 1, 2026 (#1116)
Group hints and answers for the NYT Connections puzzle on . Get a spoiler-free nudge for each group, or reveal the full solution — your call.
Difficulty: Medium
Spoiler control
Choose how much to reveal
Reveal one step at a time — nudges first, full answers only if you ask.
1. Group nudges spoiler-free
- Yellow: Everyday words that borrowed a city or region name — sparkling wine, dinnerware, fragrance, and a five-line poem form.
- Green: Four Oscar-caliber films whose titles are also real cities — two took home Best Picture, two were nominated.
- Blue: Geography in a glass — each answer pairs with a spirit to name a classic mixed drink.
- Purple: Four place names whose opening syllable is also a sovereign nation — peel the country off the front.
2. One word from each group a foothold
- Yellow: CHAMPAGNE
- Green: CASABLANCA
- Blue: CUBA
- Purple: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
3. The four category names no words yet
- Yellow: THINGS NAMED AFTER PLACES
- Green: BEST PICTURE WINNERS/NOMINEES
- Blue: PLACES IN COCKTAIL NAMES
- Purple: STARTING WITH COUNTRIES
4. Reveal groups one by one
Yellow group
THINGS NAMED AFTER PLACES
- CHAMPAGNE
- CHINA
- COLOGNE
- LIMERICK
Green group
BEST PICTURE WINNERS/NOMINEES
- CASABLANCA
- CHICAGO
- FARGO
- MUNICH
Blue group
PLACES IN COCKTAIL NAMES
- CUBA
- LONG ISLAND
- MOSCOW
- SINGAPORE
Purple group
STARTING WITH COUNTRIES
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- GUINEA-BISSAU
- INDIANAPOLIS
- NIGERIA
5. Reveal everything full spoilers
Yellow — THINGS NAMED AFTER PLACES
- CHAMPAGNE
- CHINA
- COLOGNE
- LIMERICK
Green — BEST PICTURE WINNERS/NOMINEES
- CASABLANCA
- CHICAGO
- FARGO
- MUNICH
Blue — PLACES IN COCKTAIL NAMES
- CUBA
- LONG ISLAND
- MOSCOW
- SINGAPORE
Purple — STARTING WITH COUNTRIES
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- GUINEA-BISSAU
- INDIANAPOLIS
- NIGERIA
NYT Connections #1116 — quick answers
What are today's Connections categories?
THINGS NAMED AFTER PLACES; BEST PICTURE WINNERS/NOMINEES; PLACES IN COCKTAIL NAMES; STARTING WITH COUNTRIES.
What are all the answers?
- THINGS NAMED AFTER PLACES: CHAMPAGNE, CHINA, COLOGNE, LIMERICK
- BEST PICTURE WINNERS/NOMINEES: CASABLANCA, CHICAGO, FARGO, MUNICH
- PLACES IN COCKTAIL NAMES: CUBA, LONG ISLAND, MOSCOW, SINGAPORE
- STARTING WITH COUNTRIES: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, GUINEA-BISSAU, INDIANAPOLIS, NIGERIA
Also for: Connections hints 7/1/26, 7-1-26, 7 1 26, 7/1/2026, and puzzle #1116.
Also stuck on Strands, Wordle, Spelling Bee or Mini Crossword ?
Today's puzzle, in a nutshell
Yellow place-name etymology and blue cocktail geography are the anchors — purple country prefixes in compound place names split once you stop pairing CHINA with CUBA as a country group.