Looking for today's Connections solution to puzzle No. 390, July 5, is heating up after yesterday's solution took a break. Connections Companion rated this puzzle 3.2 out of 5 for difficulty.

Every day we update our Connections clues and hints. And if the hints aren't enough, you can see all four solutions along with the category title and related words. In addition, for those of you reading this in a different time zone, I have included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle, #389.

There are spoilers for Connection 390. Only those who want to know the answer to today's Connections should read on.

Or see our guide to playing NYT Connections.

While the Wordle of the Day answer guide recommends the best wordle starting words as a strategy, the Connections answer depends on identifying the categories that are connected from the 16 words. The difficulty of each category is represented by a color, with yellow being the easiest grouping and purple the most difficult. Hints are helpful as the answer is displayed after four wrong guesses.

If you need a hint to help you solve the groupings, here are each theme in order of difficulty:

If you read these hints, you should at least find the answer to today's connection. If not, please continue reading for larger hints. Also, if you only want the answer, scroll down further.

There is a bigger clue. These clues will help you enjoy the film and music and keep your mind on the people and things.

Now for the answer to today's connection in game #390.

Drum roll please.

First of all, I hope those of you celebrating the 4th of July had a relaxing day. I am back at work, but for those of you who are not, enjoy the long weekend.

I guess I got drunk yesterday and thought the blue category was a trap. Thus, I did it anyway. Fortunately, it worked, and being a James "Bond" lover, I did M, Moneypenny, and Q.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it again this weekend, but I'm sure I will.

I fell into the money trap because I saw the euro and the yen and tried to force myself to give them names related to money. Strike one. But after that was solved, I saw desire, yen, and pine as crossword-like clues. Long was soon found.

While I was hooking up the yellow category, I was already hooked on purple and looking for pop music. Purple quickly went downhill with Europop, K-Pop, and Power Pop. Now I'm hoping to get my hands on a Pandora mix of all of these.

The green category made me wonder how designers decide which colors go with which categories. Green is supposed to be the second most difficult group after yellow.

Despite having read or glanced at the covers of Fortune, Mad, Nature, O, and other such magazines, I would not have found the connection unless it was the last category. These are all titles that people have probably heard of.

Sometimes I get lost in groupings, and today's green selection was such a case.

I'm reading this late in the day. According to Connections Companion, the difficulty level was 2.3 out of 5.

Despite being rated easier than the past two days, I took three strikes before solving two categories. Perhaps I was already in the mood for a holiday.

Today, after this puzzle, I will spend time with family and friends for good food and good company. It's a relaxing way to celebrate a holiday that has taken a turn after the recent Supreme Court shenanigans and the debate between two men who should not be the only options for leadership.

Happy 4th, celebrants. Hope you have a great day. Fireworks be safe. If not, happy Thursday, hey, only one more day until the weekend.

Moving on.

I don't know about your grid, but for me the four yellow category words were aligned diagonally from top left to bottom right. So I immediately saw attraction, chemistry, fireworks, and sparks. I can see why some people shuffle the grid before looking. That may not be the strategy today.

I ordered the categories, but got stuck on the blue category three times in a row. I recognized Cycle, Revolution, and Turn immediately. I just couldn't see the Wrap. I literally had to think of a circular one with cookies and bars. Some days there are no connections. But after I won the green category, I could finally see the lap.

After three strikes, I kind of backed off. Magic looked at the puzzle, looked at the data and cache, and understood what the puzzle wanted. After that, the cookies and history made immediate sense.

Then the blue category dropped.

The purple category was cute Phil, but I honestly thought today's trap was hooked on something 4th of July related, so I avoided Liberty Bell. Weiner Liu, got me.

See you tomorrow.