Spoiler warning: The answers to NYT Connections game #782 are below. For the Friday, August 1, 2025 puzzle, the groups are aptitude, words with a silent “W,” classic-Hollywood surnames, and phrases that complete “hit the _____.”
Spoiler warning: The full solution to NYT Connections game #782 appears below. If you are still solving, start with the graduated hints and stop before the answer section.
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NYT Connections hints for Friday, August 1, 2025
These are the hints for the puzzle published on Friday, August 1, 2025. The date matters: August 1 fell on a Saturday in 2026, so this article refers specifically to the 2025 puzzle.
Hint 1: Look for four types of connection
- One group describes a person’s ability or talent.
- One group contains words with a written letter that is silent when the words are pronounced.
- One group consists of surnames belonging to famous classic-Hollywood performers.
- One group completes the phrase “hit the _____.”
Hint 2: The categories, without the answers
- Yellow: Ability or natural talent
- Green: Silent “W”
- Blue: Surnames of classic-Hollywood legends
- Purple: “Hit the _____” phrases
Hint 3: Stronger clues
- The ability group includes words meaning a knack, talent, or capacity.
- The silent-letter group includes two words beginning with WR-, one word containing -WR-, and one word beginning with SW-.
- The Hollywood surnames belong to James, Clark, Judy, and Shirley.
- The phrase group includes something associated with sleeping, a big win, leaving, and becoming furious.
NYT Connections answers for August 1, 2025
The 16 words in game #782 were:
PLAYWRIGHT, DEAN, ROOF, TEMPLE, FACULTY, WREATH, BENT, SWORD, GARLAND, HAY, GIFT, WRAP, JACKPOT, FLAIR, GABLE, ROAD
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#1 Best Overall
Yellow: APTITUDE
BENT, FACULTY, FLAIR, GIFT
Each word can describe a natural ability or capability. Someone may have a bent for mathematics, the faculty to learn quickly, a flair for design, or a gift for music.
Green: SILENT “W”
PLAYWRIGHT, SWORD, WRAP, WREATH
Each word contains a written W that is not pronounced in standard English. The W is silent in playwright, sword, wrap, and wreath. This is a spelling-and-pronunciation category rather than a meaning-based group, which makes it easier to overlook.
Rank #2
Blue: LEGENDS OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD
DEAN, GABLE, GARLAND, TEMPLE
These are surnames of prominent performers from classic Hollywood:
- DEAN — James Dean
- GABLE — Clark Gable
- GARLAND — Judy Garland
- TEMPLE — Shirley Temple
The category uses surnames only. Recognizing Gable, Dean, and Temple as names is the key to seeing Garland in the same way.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minutePurple: HIT THE _____
HAY, JACKPOT, ROAD, ROOF
All four words complete a familiar phrase:
- hit the hay — go to bed or go to sleep
- hit the jackpot — achieve a major success or win
- hit the road — leave or begin a journey
- hit the roof — become extremely angry
Why this Connections board was tricky
The board included several tempting false groupings. GARLAND and WREATH can both suggest holiday decorations, but only Garland belongs with the Hollywood surnames. Likewise, DEAN and FACULTY can evoke a university setting, even though they belong to different groups here.
The silent-W category also creates a useful misdirection. PLAYWRIGHT looks related to people in theater or film, while SWORD may invite a category based on objects. Their spelling pattern is the real connection. The last four words are especially confirmable once you test them against the exact phrase “hit the ___.”
A report describing this puzzle as hard and mentioning three mistakes reflects one solver’s experience, not an official New York Times difficulty rating. Connections does not provide a universal difficulty score based on an individual solve.
Want more puzzles?
If you prefer solving 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. Its published description says it includes new spins on several digital games, including Connections. It is best understood as a source of additional Connections-style material—not as a book confirmed to contain this exact August 1, 2025 daily grid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the NYT Connections categories for August 1, 2025?
The four categories were APTITUDE; SILENT “W”; LEGENDS OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD; and HIT THE _____.
Best Value
- Find hundreds of words in an easy to read format - Some words you'll spot easily, but you'll have to search hard for others.
- A wide range of puzzle topics, including movies, actors, sports, cars, and more!
- Variations on the standard word search puzzles are included for extra challenge.
- Answer key in the back of the book.
- Spiral bound, 192 pages.
What was the yellow group in Connections #782?
BENT, FACULTY, FLAIR, and GIFT.
Which Connections answers had a silent W?
PLAYWRIGHT, SWORD, WRAP, and WREATH. The W is silent in each word.
Which words were the classic-Hollywood legends group?
DEAN, GABLE, GARLAND, and TEMPLE—the surnames of James Dean, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, and Shirley Temple.
What completed “hit the _____” in the purple group?
HAY, JACKPOT, ROAD, and ROOF.
The Bottom Line
The August 1, 2025 Connections answers were BENT, FACULTY, FLAIR, GIFT for aptitude; PLAYWRIGHT, SWORD, WRAP, WREATH for silent “W”; DEAN, GABLE, GARLAND, TEMPLE for classic-Hollywood legends; and HAY, JACKPOT, ROAD, ROOF for “hit the _____” phrases.
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