Why bussin mattered in today’s Connections

The July 13, 2026 puzzle had a group called “Starting With Smooches.” Every word in it began with a word for a kiss. Bussin starts with buss, an old word that means a kiss.

That’s a sneaky trick, because almost nobody thinks of bussin as a kiss word. We think tasty. So the puzzle used the modern meaning as a decoy and the hidden meaning as the real link.

What bussin actually means

Bussin describes something that hits really well. Most often it’s food.

• “This mac and cheese is bussin.”
• “The tacos were bussin, no cap.”
• “Her new single is straight bussin.”

Some people say “bussin bussin” to mean extra good. Doubling it turns up the volume, like saying very very good.

Examples in plain English

Think of bussin as a five-star review in one word.

• Friend takes a bite of pizza: “Okay, this is bussin.” Means the pizza is delicious.
• Someone posts their dinner: “Homemade ramen, absolutely bussin.” Means it turned out great.
• After a good playlist: “That mix was bussin.” Means the music was excellent.

If you can swap in “so good,” you’re using it right.

Common mistake

The biggest mix-up is spelling and grammar. Bussin is not “busting” or “bussing.” And you don’t usually say “it busses” or “this is bussin good.” Bussin already carries the good part.

Another mistake is using it for bad things. Bussin is a compliment. You wouldn’t call a terrible meal bussin unless you’re being sarcastic on purpose.

And for word-game fans: don’t forget the hidden buss inside it. That’s the trap the puzzle leaned on.

Wrong guess note

In Connections, players saw bussin and assumed it belonged with slang for tasty or trendy words. That felt obvious, so it was wrong. The real category grouped it by its first letters, buss, meaning a kiss.

Related terms

• Buss: an old word for a kiss. The root hiding inside bussin, explained in the buss meaning guide.
• Fire: also means excellent, works for food, music, and more.
• No cap: means no lie, often paired with bussin for emphasis.
• Slaps: means something sounds or tastes great, close cousin to bussin.

If you also got tangled by another word from that same puzzle, the peckish meaning guide breaks down the polite word for a little hungry, which hid a kiss word too.

To see how the whole “Starting With Smooches” group worked, the full July 13, 2026 Connections breakdown walks through every trap. And when you want the next day, the July 14, 2026 Connections hints and answers keeps the streak going.

Quick recap

Bussin means really good, most often about food. Just remember it hides an older kiss word, buss, at the start, which is exactly why it fooled players in the NYT Connections puzzle for July 13, 2026.