Looking for the answer to today's Connections puzzle, the solution to the July 4 puzzle "Connections" 389 was slightly less difficult than yesterday's solution, with a difficulty of 2.3 out of 5 for this puzzle from the Connections Companion.

We update our Connections clues and hints daily. And if the hints aren't enough, you can see all four answers along with the category title and related words. In addition, for those of you reading this in a different time zone, I've included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle, #388.

There are spoilers for connection #389. Only those who want to know the answer to today's connection should read on.

Or see our NYT Connections How to Play Guide for tips on how to solve the puzzle without our help.

While today's wordle solution guide recommends the best wordle starting words as a strategy, the Connections solution 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 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 to know the answer, scroll down further.

There is a bigger clue. Find the love, consider whether you are playing on a computer, and maybe take a spin before you get the rung to end it.

Now, what's the answer to the connection in today's game #389?

Drum roll please.

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 a good meal and a good time with family and friends. After the recent Supreme Court shenanigans and the debate between two men who should not be the only options for leadership, it's a relaxing way to turn around and celebrate the holidays.

Happy 4th, celebrants. Hope it's a good day. Watch out for fireworks. One more day until the weekend.

Let's move on.

I don't know about your grid, but the four yellow category words were, for me, aligned straight diagonally from top left to bottom right. Therefore, I immediately saw attraction, chemical reactions, 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. Cycle, Revolution, and Turn were quick. I just couldn't see the wrap. I literally had to come up with 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 figured out 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.

I'm reading this late in the day. According to the Connections Companion, this is the Connections solution to game #388, which had a difficulty score of 2.8 out of 5.

I should not have fallen for the two traps in today's puzzle, but I did.

Watching the Arizona Diamondbacks just continue to exist in the NL West might make you think of baseball. However, I quickly caught on to the curveball and the spitball. It's not leading anywhere like Arizona's season has this year (no way they make it to the World Series again, right?).

Anyway, once I got past that, I saw Brainstorm, Idiate, and Spitball. It took me a little while to see the workshops, but that was the end of the yellow category.

To me, Connections is like a magic eye 3D puzzle. Perhaps I should look at every word, but I like to see what pops into my brain and how I can connect the connections.

I was still playing baseball, so I got the purple category after curves. Also, I may have just watched "Dodgeball" the other night. So throwing a spanner in the works was on my mind. Then I learned that I could party and throw tantrums. Sure, you can do those things in a figurative sense, but I think you can also do them in a literal sense.

After entering the blue category, I wanted to eat cake. The choices were Birthday, Crumb, Marble, and Pound, but I could have chosen Black Forest Cake. They are all great cakes.

The green categories were Solid, Concrete, Material, and Real.