Spoiler warning: NYT Connections puzzle #386 was published on July 1, 2024. Here are the hints, full grid, answers, and explanations for all four groups.
Spoiler warning: The answers to NYT Connections puzzle #386 appear below. This game was published on Monday, July 1, 2024. If you are looking for the July 1, 2026 puzzle, that is a different game, numbered #1116.
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Hints for Connections #386
Before revealing the groups, here are progressively stronger hints:
- Yellow: These words can tell someone where to go.
- Green: These words can describe a dishonest scheme.
- Blue: Look at details printed on U.S. paper currency.
- Purple: Think of the opening words in several Canadian province or territory names.
The 16 words in the July 1 Connections puzzle
The grid contained:
PYRAMID, PRINCE, BRITISH, SEAL, STING, WASHINGTON, NOVA, USHER, NORTHWEST, RACKET, LEAD, EAGLE, CON, DIRECT, HUSTLE, GUIDE
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Connections #386 answers
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Show the way | DIRECT, GUIDE, LEAD, USHER |
| Green | Scheme | CON, HUSTLE, RACKET, STING |
| Blue | Seen on a U.S. dollar bill | EAGLE, PYRAMID, SEAL, WASHINGTON |
| Purple | First words of Canadian provinces or territories | BRITISH, NORTHWEST, NOVA, PRINCE |
Yellow: DIRECT, GUIDE, LEAD, USHER
The most approachable group is SHOW THE WAY. To direct, guide, or lead someone is to tell them where to go or help them reach a destination. An usher can also direct people, such as when an usher shows guests to their seats.
This is a straightforward meaning-based group and a useful starting point if you are solving the puzzle without spoilers.
Green: CON, HUSTLE, RACKET, STING
The green group is SCHEME. A con, hustle, racket, or sting can refer to a dishonest plan, scam, or operation.
These terms are deliberately broad. A “con” can mean a confidence trick, while a “hustle” may describe a swindle. A “racket” can be an organized dishonest business, and a “sting” can describe a deceptive operation. The overlap in their meanings makes this category easier to see after CON and HUSTLE establish the pattern.
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Blue: EAGLE, PYRAMID, SEAL, WASHINGTON
The blue category is SEEN ON A U.S. DOLLAR BILL:
- EAGLE: an eagle appears on U.S. currency imagery.
- PYRAMID: the unfinished pyramid is part of the Great Seal imagery printed on the one-dollar bill.
- SEAL: this refers to a currency seal, not the marine animal.
- WASHINGTON: George Washington’s portrait appears on the one-dollar bill.
SEAL is the key trap in this group. It may initially look like an animal, but the currency-related meaning connects it with the eagle, pyramid, and Washington.
Purple: BRITISH, NORTHWEST, NOVA, PRINCE
The purple group uses the first words of Canadian provinces or territories. Complete the entries as follows:
- BRITISH — British Columbia
- NORTHWEST — Northwest Territories
- NOVA — Nova Scotia
- PRINCE — Prince Edward Island
The category is based on the opening word, not on four complete names. That makes it the puzzle’s most indirect group and explains why it may be difficult to spot from the grid alone.
The biggest red herring: one-word musicians
STING, USHER, PRINCE, and SEAL appear to form a tempting group because each is associated with a performer known by a one-word stage name. That is not an official category in this puzzle.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteInstead, the four words are distributed across the actual solutions:
- STING belongs to SCHEME.
- USHER belongs to SHOW THE WAY.
- PRINCE belongs to the Canadian place-name group.
- SEAL belongs to the U.S. dollar-bill group.
PYRAMID is another misleading entry. It can suggest geometry, ancient monuments, or a scheme, but here it belongs with the U.S. currency references. Once CON and HUSTLE point toward SCHEME, PYRAMID is better reserved for the dollar-bill category.
How to approach this puzzle’s structure
- Start with the literal verbs: DIRECT, GUIDE, LEAD, and USHER share a clear meaning.
- Use CON and HUSTLE as anchors for the dishonest-operation group, then test RACKET and STING.
- After removing those words, inspect the apparent objects and names associated with U.S. currency: EAGLE, PYRAMID, SEAL, and WASHINGTON.
- The remaining words reveal the Canadian group: British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
- Be cautious of attractive categories that use all four words but do not explain the entire grid. The one-word-musician idea is a classic example.
Want more Connections puzzles?
You can continue with Connections through the NYT Games website or Games app, subject to the access terms in effect when you play. For a screen-free follow-up, an official New York Times Games hardcover collection, Connections: Find the Common Threads in 100+ Puzzles of Wit and Wordplay, is listed with more than 100 puzzles and a scheduled release date of October 27, 2026. It should be treated as upcoming unless a current retailer listing confirms that availability has changed. There is no basis here to say that the collection includes puzzle #386.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Which date does Connections puzzle #386 refer to?
This article covers NYT Connections puzzle #386, published on July 1, 2024. July 1, 2026 was a separate puzzle numbered #1116.
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What are the four Connections #386 categories?
The four groups are SHOW THE WAY; SCHEME; SEEN ON A U.S. DOLLAR BILL; and FIRST WORDS OF CANADIAN PROVINCES OR TERRITORIES.
Why is SEAL in the dollar-bill category?
SEAL refers to a seal printed on U.S. currency, not the animal. It groups with EAGLE, PYRAMID, and WASHINGTON.
The Bottom Line
NYT Connections #386, published July 1, 2024, groups the words into SHOW THE WAY, SCHEME, SEEN ON A U.S. DOLLAR BILL, and the first words of Canadian province or territory names. The main traps are the one-word-musician grouping and the misleading placement of SEAL and PYRAMID.
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