Connections archive · Puzzle #1143
NYT Connections Hints & Answers — July 28, 2026 (#1143)
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: Hard
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: Ways to take charge — lead a team, give orders, be at the front.
- Green: Varieties of a crisp fruit — orchard names, not the company.
- Blue: Footwear labels that all begin with the letter C.
- Purple: Peel off the first name — Anna, Bob, Eve, Otto — and what's left is the rest.
2. One word from each group a foothold
- Yellow: CAPTAIN
- Green: EMPIRE
- Blue: CAMPER
- Purple: ANNAPOLIS
3. The four category names no words yet
- Yellow: COMMAND
- Green: HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES
- Blue: SHOE BRANDS STARTING WITH "C"
- Purple: STARTING WITH PALINDROMIC NAMES
4. Reveal groups one by one
Yellow group
COMMAND
- CAPTAIN
- DIRECT
- HEAD
- LEAD
Green group
HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES
- EMPIRE
- FUJI
- GALA
- HONEYCRISP
Blue group
SHOE BRANDS STARTING WITH "C"
- CAMPER
- CLARKS
- CONVERSE
- CROCS
Purple group
STARTING WITH PALINDROMIC NAMES
- ANNAPOLIS
- BOBSLED
- EVEREST
- OTTOMAN
5. Reveal everything full spoilers
Yellow — COMMAND
- CAPTAIN
- DIRECT
- HEAD
- LEAD
Green — HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES
- EMPIRE
- FUJI
- GALA
- HONEYCRISP
Blue — SHOE BRANDS STARTING WITH "C"
- CAMPER
- CLARKS
- CONVERSE
- CROCS
Purple — STARTING WITH PALINDROMIC NAMES
- ANNAPOLIS
- BOBSLED
- EVEREST
- OTTOMAN
NYT Connections #1143 — quick answers
What are today's Connections categories?
COMMAND; HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES; SHOE BRANDS STARTING WITH "C"; STARTING WITH PALINDROMIC NAMES.
What are all the answers?
- COMMAND: CAPTAIN, DIRECT, HEAD, LEAD
- HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES: EMPIRE, FUJI, GALA, HONEYCRISP
- SHOE BRANDS STARTING WITH "C": CAMPER, CLARKS, CONVERSE, CROCS
- STARTING WITH PALINDROMIC NAMES: ANNAPOLIS, BOBSLED, EVEREST, OTTOMAN
Also for: Connections hints 7/28/26, 7-28-26, 7 28 26, 7/28/2026, and puzzle #1143.
Also stuck on Strands, Wordle, Spelling Bee or Mini Crossword ?
Today's puzzle, in a nutshell
Yellow is leadership verbs; green is apple varieties. Blue is shoe brands that start with C, and purple hides palindromes — Anna, Bob, Eve, Otto — at the start of longer words.