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NYT Connections for Monday, July 7, 2025, was game #757. The puzzle grouped words into an informant theme, a “big impression” theme, basketball moves, and phrases formed by adding “top.” A spoiler warning and graduated hints come first; the full answers follow.
Spoiler warning: The complete answers to NYT Connections game #757 appear below. If you want to solve the puzzle yourself, stop after the hints section.
NYT Connections for Monday, July 7, 2025: the hints
The headline needs a year: July 7, 2025 was a Monday and matches game #757. July 7, 2026 falls on a Tuesday and is a different Connections puzzle.
Here are the hints in increasing order of specificity:
#1 Best Overall
- Yellow: Think of people or things that reveal information.
- Green: Think of leaving a noticeable or memorable effect.
- Blue: Think of actions associated with basketball.
- Purple: Add the word top before each answer.
One-word clues
If you need a smaller nudge, one word from each group is:
- Yellow: CANARY
- Green: SPLASH
- Blue: DRIBBLE
- Purple: DOG
The 16 words
These were the words in the July 7, 2025 puzzle:
DOG · DRIBBLE · SECRET · FOOTPRINT · RAT · SHOOT · LEAK · SPLASH · BANANA · SOURCE · CANARY · BLOCK · MARK · PASS · HAT · IMPACT
NYT Connections answers for July 7, 2025
| Color | Category | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Informant | CANARY, LEAK, RAT, SOURCE |
| Green | Big impression | FOOTPRINT, IMPACT, MARK, SPLASH |
| Blue | Basketball moves | BLOCK, DRIBBLE, PASS, SHOOT |
| Purple | Top _____ | BANANA, DOG, HAT, SECRET |
Yellow: Informant
CANARY, LEAK, RAT, SOURCE
These words can describe a person or channel that reveals information. A “canary” or “rat” may be an informant, while a leak or source provides information—sometimes confidential information—to others.
Green: Big impression
FOOTPRINT, IMPACT, MARK, SPLASH
Each word can refer to a noticeable effect or impression. A person or event can leave a footprint, make an impact, leave a mark, or make a splash through a prominent arrival or action.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsBlue: Basketball moves
BLOCK, DRIBBLE, PASS, SHOOT
These are familiar basketball actions: blocking an opponent or shot, dribbling the ball, passing to a teammate, and shooting at the basket.
Purple: Words that follow “top”
BANANA, DOG, HAT, SECRET
Add top to the front of each word to make a familiar phrase:
- top banana
- top dog
- top hat
- top secret
Why this puzzle was tricky
The puzzle uses several words that appear to fit more than one possible theme. SECRET looks tempting alongside words associated with hidden information, but it belongs in the purple group because of top secret. DOG also becomes a purple answer through top dog, rather than pointing toward an animal category.
SOURCE is another potential distraction. It is not part of a general “secret” group; here, it belongs with CANARY, LEAK, and RAT as a person or channel that reveals information. The green group is similarly broad: FOOTPRINT, IMPACT, MARK, and SPLASH come from different literal contexts but all suggest a substantial or memorable impression.
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Connections gives players four chances to make a mistake. Selecting three correct words and one incorrect word produces a “one away” message, which can help identify the misplaced entry before the next guess.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Want more screen-free Connections-style puzzles?
For readers who enjoy this kind of wordplay away from a screen, Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! is a 224-page hardcover from The New York Times Games and Joel Fagliano. It includes new spins on Connections along with other NYT Games-inspired puzzles. It is an optional follow-up—not a reproduction of game #757—and was published by Authors Equity in October 2025. Disclosure: this is an affiliate recommendation; DocumentaryTube may earn a commission if you buy through an approved retailer link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NYT Connections puzzle is this?
The Monday, July 7, 2025 NYT Connections puzzle was game #757. July 7, 2026 was a Tuesday and refers to a different game.
What were the Connections categories on July 7, 2025?
The four categories were INFORMANT; BIG IMPRESSION; BASKETBALL MOVES; and TOP _____.
Why do BANANA, DOG, HAT, and SECRET go together?
Yes. The purple answers were BANANA, DOG, HAT, and SECRET, which become top banana, top dog, top hat, and top secret.
The Bottom Line
The July 7, 2025 Connections solution was CANARY, LEAK, RAT, SOURCE for INFORMANT; FOOTPRINT, IMPACT, MARK, SPLASH for BIG IMPRESSION; BLOCK, DRIBBLE, PASS, SHOOT for BASKETBALL MOVES; and BANANA, DOG, HAT, SECRET for TOP _____. This was game #757, not the separate July 7, 2026 puzzle.
Quick Recap
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