NYT Connections #394 was the puzzle published on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. The answers are CHRONICLE, MESS OF HAIR, TV SHOWS MINUS “S”, and WORDS AFTER “HEDGE”. Use the spoiler-light hints first, then open the marked section for the complete solution.
NYT Connections #394 was the puzzle published on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. If you are looking for the historical answers, the four groups are CHRONICLE, MESS OF HAIR, TV SHOWS MINUS “S”, and WORDS AFTER “HEDGE”.
Try the hints below before opening the full solution. The answer section is clearly marked so you can stop before seeing spoilers.
The 16 words in Connections #394
Here is the original grid:
SCRUB · MAZE · REGISTER · SHOCK · HOG · LOG · MOP · CHEER · TANGLE · WEED · RECORD · FUND · FRIEND · MANE · TRIMMER · JOURNAL
The Tool Desk
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Spoiler-light hints for July 9
Yellow hint: A written account or record of events.
Green hint: A phrase describing untidy or tangled hair.
Blue hint: Popular television titles after their final “S” is removed.
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Purple hint: Words that can follow “hedge.”
Stronger clues, without the complete grid
For the yellow group, think of different kinds of written records: a personal diary, a running account, and a formal entry system all point in the same direction.
The green group uses several words for a large, thick, or disordered amount of hair. They do not all describe exactly the same hairstyle, but each can fit the idea of a hair mess.
The blue group is a word-manipulation trick. Put one letter back at the end of each answer and you get familiar TV show titles.
For purple, “hedge” forms four compounds or phrases. One of them is written as a single word, which makes the group easier to overlook.
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Spoiler warning: the complete answers
Stop here if you still want to solve Connections #394 yourself. The category names and all 16 answers appear below.
Yellow — CHRONICLE
- JOURNAL
- LOG
- RECORD
- REGISTER
Each word can refer to a written account, diary, record, or systematic entry of events or information. This is the most direct group in the puzzle and a good place to begin.
Green — MESS OF HAIR
- MANE
- MOP
- SHOCK
- TANGLE
These words can describe a quantity or arrangement of unruly hair: a mane, a mop, a shock of hair, or a tangle.
Blue — TV SHOWS MINUS “S”
- CHEER → Cheers
- FRIEND → Friends
- SCRUB → Scrubs
- WEED → Weeds
Adding a final “S” to each grid entry produces the title of a television show. WEED is the key distraction: it may suggest gardening or hedges, but here it belongs with Weeds.
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Purple — WORDS AFTER “HEDGE”
- FUND → hedge fund
- HOG → hedgehog
- MAZE → hedge maze
- TRIMMER → hedge trimmer
This is the trickiest set because it combines different types of compounds and phrases. Hedge fund, hedge maze, and hedge trimmer are open phrases, while HOG joins “hedge” to form the closed compound hedgehog.
Best solving route for this puzzle
- Start with JOURNAL, LOG, RECORD, and REGISTER. Their record-keeping meaning is more consistent than the tempting alternatives.
- Look at MANE, MOP, SHOCK, and TANGLE together. Read them as descriptions of hair rather than as general nouns.
- Test the TV-title transformation. CHEER, FRIEND, SCRUB, and WEED become Cheers, Friends, Scrubs, and Weeds when given a final “S.”
- Use the remaining four words with HEDGE. FUND, HOG, MAZE, and TRIMMER complete the last group.
The puzzle’s main traps are the overlapping meanings. WEED looks like it might belong with hedge-related words, while MOP and SHOCK only become convincing after you interpret them as descriptions of hair. The purple group also requires you to accept both a closed compound and open phrases.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the NYT Connections schedule works
The daily Connections puzzle is released at midnight in the player’s local time through the New York Times Games platforms. Historical archive access has been available to eligible subscribers through the Games archive, while third-party archive pages preserve individual past puzzles such as #394. The New York Times Games help page has the current access and gameplay information.
This guide is specifically for July 9, 2024. The date should not be confused with a July 9 puzzle from another year: the number identifies this one as Connections #394.
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Best Value
- Mr. Pen graph spiral journal notebook comes complete with 1 retractable ballpoint pen and 50 sticky tabs, providing a fully equipped set for organized and productive note-taking.
- The notebook is crafted with 100 GSM premium paper, offering a smooth, bleed-resistant surface ideal for pens, pencils, or markers.
- Its A5 size with 160 pages strikes the perfect balance between portability and space, making it convenient for school, office, or on-the-go use.
- The sturdy spiral binding allows the notebook to lay completely flat, ensuring a comfortable writing and sketching experience on every page.
- This versatile set is perfect for students, professionals, and creative individuals, providing a reliable solution for studying, planning, office work, or personal projects.
Want more Connections puzzles?
Readers who enjoy solving away from a screen may want to look for the Connections: Find the Common Threads in 100+ Puzzles of Wit and Wordplay Connections puzzle book. Availability and retailer listings can change, so check the current listing before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the answer to Connections #394?
NYT Connections #394 was published on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. Its groups were CHRONICLE, MESS OF HAIR, TV SHOWS MINUS “S,” and WORDS AFTER “HEDGE.”
What was the purple category in Connections #394?
The purple group was WORDS AFTER “HEDGE”: FUND, HOG, MAZE, and TRIMMER. They form hedge fund, hedgehog, hedge maze, and hedge trimmer.
Is this the Connections puzzle from July 9, 2024?
Yes. Connections #394 is the historical puzzle from July 9, 2024. A July 9 puzzle in another year would have a different puzzle number and answers.
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The Bottom Line
Connections #394, published July 9, 2024, sorts into CHRONICLE: JOURNAL, LOG, RECORD, REGISTER; MESS OF HAIR: MANE, MOP, SHOCK, TANGLE; TV SHOWS MINUS “S”: CHEER, FRIEND, SCRUB, WEED; and WORDS AFTER “HEDGE”: FUND, HOG, MAZE, TRIMMER.
Quick Recap
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