New Delhi, July 2 -- Thursday's NYT Connections puzzle arrived with a deceptive calm. Sixteen words. Four groups. One shot at keeping a streak alive. But Puzzle #1117, released on July 2, 2026, turned out to be one of the more elegantly tricky entries the New York Times has served up in recent memory, with misdirection baked so deeply into the grid that players who felt confident early found themselves burning through mistakes before the board even half cleared.

The answers are below, organized from easiest to hardest, along with full explanations for every category.

Today's 16 Words

MOCKINGBIRD, FIELD MOUSE, TOM-TOM, COURT JESTER, MIME, LOOKING GLASS, TRACK RECORD, BILLY GOAT, DIAMOND RING, SPECTACLES, DAN DAN NOODLES, COPYCAT, TALKIE...