NYT Connections: clues and solutions for Tuesday, May 20.

      Connections is one of the top puzzle games offered by the New York Times. In this game, you are tasked with sorting a collection of 16 words into four undisclosed (for now) groups by determining how the words are interconnected. Every night at midnight, the puzzle resets, and each new challenge comes with varying levels of difficulty. Similar to Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare scores with friends.

      Some days can be more challenging than others, much like other popular NYT Games such as The Mini and Strands. If you're facing difficulties with today’s puzzle, take a look at our Connections tips and tricks guide for helpful strategies, or find hints for today's Connections puzzle below. If you're still stuck, we will share the answers at the end.

      How to play Connections

      Connections is a daily game focused on uncovering common links between words. Players must choose four groups of four words without exceeding three mistakes. Play now. [link]

      You can enjoy Connections on the New York Times website or via the NYT Games app available for iOS or Android.

      In Connections, a grid of 16 words is presented, and your goal is to arrange these words into four sets of four by recognizing the connections among them. These sets could relate to various themes such as titles of video game franchises, sequels in book series, shades of red, chain restaurant names, and more.

      Typically, some words may appear to fit into multiple categories, but there is only one definitive correct answer. You can shuffle the grid of words and reposition them to help clarify potential connections.

      Each group is color-coded. The yellow group is the simplest to identify, followed by the green, blue, and purple groups.

      Select four words and click Submit. If you’re right, those four words will disappear from the grid, and the theme connecting them will be revealed. If you guess wrong, it counts as a mistake. You have a total of four mistakes before the game ends.

      Hints for today’s Connections

      We can assist you in solving today’s Connections by revealing the four themes. If you need additional help, we will also provide one word from each group below.

      Today’s themes:

      1. ACCOUNT BOOK

      2. SEEN IN A BARN

      3. DETECTIVES OF KID-LIT

      4. WORDS BEFORE “BED”

      One-answer reveals:

      - ACCOUNT BOOK – LEDGER

      - SEEN IN A BARN – BALE

      - DETECTIVES OF KID-LIT – BROWN

      - WORDS BEFORE “BED” – CANOPY

      New York Times

      Today’s Connections answers

      Still having trouble? That's understandable. This puzzle is meant to be challenging. If you simply want today’s Connections answers, we’ve listed them below:

      - ACCOUNT BOOK – LEDGER, LOG, RECORD, REGISTER

      - SEEN IN A BARN – BALE, HORSE, PITCHFORK, TROUGH

      - DETECTIVES OF KID-LIT – BROWN, DREW, HARDY, HOLMES

      - WORDS BEFORE “BED” – CANOPY, DAY, MURPHY, WATER

      Connections grids change significantly every day. If you couldn't solve today’s puzzle, be sure to return tomorrow.

      NYT Connection FAQs

      What time does the Connections puzzle change?

      The puzzle changes every day at midnight local time.

      Who edits the NYT Connections game?

      Wyna Liu, who has been editing puzzles at The New York Times since 2020, oversees Connections on a daily basis.

      “A few months ago, a new assignment came to me: Create the game boards for Connections, a category matching game that had just been approved and needed an editor,” wrote Liu in a piece detailing her process in June 2024. “Most of my puzzle experience has been with crosswords, and I was excited to explore something new. I've enjoyed discovering how puzzle editing works once a game is approved and seeing how our team integrates into a larger system.”

      On the one-year anniversary of Connections' launch earlier this year, Liu shared this TikTok highlighting her favorite puzzles to date:

      @thegamesteam ? happy one year anniversary to connections, our newest official NYT game ? #nytgames #nytconnections #nyt ♬ The Kite Live by Luisa Marion – luisa_marion_music