Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, May 21 (game #1075).
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #1076) - today's words
Today's NYT Connections words are…
- LOOSEY-GOOSEY
- CONVENTION
- CHECK IN
- BAGGAGE CLAIM
- CARRY-ON
- CUSTOM
- CHECKOUT
- LANE
- FOLLOW UP
- ASSEMBLY LINE
- EL NIÑO
- SOCIAL NORM
- TOUCH BASE
- REVOLVING
- SUSHI BAR
- UNWRITTEN
- RULE
- RECONNECT
- TAILOR-MADE
NYT Connections today (game #1076) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Meet an old friend
- GREEN: How it is
- BLUE: Moving surfaces
- PURPLE: Sounds like someone you know
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #1076) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: REACH BACK OUT
- GREEN: THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE
- BLUE: PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTS
- PURPLE: STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONES
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1076) - the answers
The answers to today's Connections, game #1076, are…
- YELLOW: REACH BACK OUT CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT, TOUCH BASE
- GREEN: THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE CONVENTION, CUSTOM, SOCIAL NORM, UNWRITTEN RULE
- BLUE: PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTS ASSEMBLY LINE, BAGGAGE CLAIM, CHECKOUT LANE, REVOLVING SUSHI BAR
- PURPLE: STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONES CARRY-ON, EL NIÑO, LOOSEY-GOOSEY, TAILOR-MADE
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
I failed to get three purple firsts in a row, but I did manage to complete another error-free game — which, with my habit of falling for Connection's cunning tricks, is no mean feat.
That said, purple aside, this was a pretty straightforward game with minimal crossover over group chicanery; you could get close, but not close enough to a group of airport-terminal-related words.
Despite not getting purple, it was nice to see LOOSEY-GOOSEY among the tiles, especially as someone who could be described as LOOSEY-GOOSEY is exactly the type of person who would flout THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, May 21, game #1075)
- YELLOW: KINDS OF PIES CHESS, PECAN, PUMPKIN, SHOOFLY
- GREEN: THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH BUTTS CABOOSE, CAN, MOON, PEACH
- BLUE: TENNIS SCORING TERMS ADVANTAGE, DEUCE, FORTY, LOVE
- PURPLE: ___ MUSTARD COLONEL, HONEY, HOT, YELLOW
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
