July 18 NYT Connections hints and answers for puzzle #768 – plus tips for beating the green category and finding hidden word links in today’s Sports Edition

Struggling with today’s NYT Connections puzzle? July 18’s challenge (#768) brings another tricky set of word groupings to decipher, including a particularly sneaky green category. Sports Edition fans will also need sharp eyes to spot hidden word links in today’s themed version.

Whether you’re maintaining your streak or just starting out, these hints will guide you through the puzzle’s trickiest connections without spoiling the solution. The green category continues to be players’ biggest obstacle, requiring creative thinking to uncover its subtle theme.

July 18 NYT Connections Hints: How to Crack the Green Category “Pick Up On”

The green category in today’s NYT Connections puzzle #768 is particularly tricky, labeled as “Pick Up On.” The words in this group – catch, note, see, spot – all relate to perceiving or noticing something. Many players struggle with this category because the connections aren’t immediately obvious.

To solve this category, think about synonyms for “notice” or “detect.” Each word can be paired with “up on” to form common phrases: “catch up on,” “note up on” (less common but acceptable), “see up on,” and “spot up on.” This linguistic pattern is what binds them together in the green group.

The key to the green category is recognizing the prepositional phrase pattern. Players often miss this because they focus too much on individual word meanings rather than their grammatical combinations.

I kept trying to connect “note” to music and “catch” to sports! Why didn’t I see the “up on” connection?

What Are the Hidden Links in Today’s Sports Edition Connections?

While the main NYT Connections puzzle gets most attention, the Sports Edition presents its own unique challenges. Based on recent patterns, today’s Sports Edition likely features categories that blend sports terminology with everyday language.

Previous Sports Edition puzzles have included categories like “Cincinnati teams” (without the ‘s’) and “sailing terms.” Today’s might feature:

• Sports equipment that doubles as verbs (e.g., bat, bowl, club)
• Athletes with color-based names (e.g., Blanc, Greene, Black)
• Sports that sound like animals (e.g., cricket, boxing – ‘boxer’ dog)

The Sports Edition often plays with words that have dual meanings in sports and general vocabulary. This creates clever aha moments when you spot the connection.

Strategies for Spotting Sports-Related Word Links

When tackling the Sports Edition, try these approaches:

1. Say each word out loud – sometimes the phonetic connection isn’t obvious visually
2. Think of slang terms used in sports commentary
3. Consider team nicknames and mascots
4. Look for sporting terms that have entered general vernacular

Why Is Today’s Purple Category “Electric ____” So Challenging?

The purple category in today’s main puzzle, “Electric ____,” connects words that form common compound terms with “electric”:

• Guitar (electric guitar)
• Vehicle (electric vehicle)
• Shock (electric shock)
• Blank (electric blanket)

Many players miss this category because they overlook how flexible the “electric” prefix can be. Some might get stuck trying to connect these words through other meanings, like musical instruments or medical terms.

I was sure “guitar” belonged with music terms! The category title was there all along and I still missed it.

How to Solve Tough Connection Puzzles Like Today’s Blue Category “Yoga Backbends”

The blue category “Yoga Backbends” features these poses:

This category stumps many because unless you practice yoga, these pose names aren’t common knowledge. The key is recognizing that all these words name specific backbend postures in yoga practice.

Specialized vocabulary categories like yoga poses are meant to challenge general knowledge. When stuck, think outside your usual areas of expertise.

What Makes Today’s Yellow Category “Sequence” Easier Than It Seems

The yellow category “Sequence” contains the words run, series, streak, string. These all describe consecutive or sequential arrangements. What makes this category more approachable:

• All words are common vocabulary
• They have clear synonyms in the same semantic field
• No specialized knowledge required
• The connections work in multiple contexts (sports, math, everyday language)

However, some players overcomplicate it by focusing on specific meanings like “run” in running or “series” in television. The broad applicability is actually what makes the connections work.

I almost messed up by trying to force “run” into an exercise category! Sometimes the simplest connection is the right one.

Why Sequence Words Are Often Yellow Category Material

The NYT Connections game frequently uses sequence-related words for yellow (easiest) categories because:

1. They’re fundamental concepts everyone understands
2. The connections have multiple validations
3. They rarely overlap with other potential categories
4. They provide an accessible entry point to the puzzle