NYT Connections: clues and solutions for Saturday, May 24

      Connections is regarded as one of the finest puzzle games offered by the New York Times. In this game, your task is to sort a group of 16 words into four secret categories (for now) by discerning how the words are interconnected. The puzzle resets every night at midnight, and each new iteration presents varying levels of difficulty. Similar to Wordle, you can track your winning streak and compare scores with your friends.

      Some days may prove to be more challenging than others — much like other beloved NYT Games such as The Mini and Strands. If you're having some difficulty with today’s puzzle, you can refer to our guide on Connections tips and tricks for effective strategies or check the hints for today’s Connections puzzle below. If you're still stuck, we will reveal today’s answers at the end.

      How to play Connections

      Connections is a daily game focused on discovering common threads among words. Players must identify four groups of four words, making no more than three mistakes. Play now. https://t.co/YITfSnqODb pic.twitter.com/CqObVOqeUs

      — The New York Times (@nytimes) November 3, 2024

      You can play Connections on the New York Times website or through the NYT Games app available on iOS or Android.

      In the game, you'll see a grid of 16 words — your goal is to categorize these words into four groups of four by recognizing the connections that associate them. These groups may include themes like names of video game franchises, series of book sequels, shades of red, or names of chain restaurants.

      Typically, some words may seem applicable to multiple categories, but only one correct arrangement exists. You can shuffle the word grid to get a clearer view of the possible connections.

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

      Select four words and press Submit. If your selection is correct, those words will disappear from the grid, and the theme linking them will be unveiled. An incorrect guess counts as a mistake. You have a total of four mistakes available before the game concludes.

      Hints for today’s Connections

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

      Today’s themes:

      CONDUITS FOR WATER REMOVAL

      FOOD PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH SENTIMENTALITY

      THINGS TO CRACK

      ___ CHANGE

      One-word reveals:

      CONDUITS FOR WATER REMOVAL – DRAIN

      FOOD PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH SENTIMENTALITY – CHEESE

      THINGS TO CRACK – EGG

      ___ CHANGE – CHUMP

      New York Times

      Today’s Connections answers

      Still having trouble? That's alright. This puzzle is meant to be challenging. If you just want to see the answers for today’s Connections, we’ve provided them below:

      CONDUITS FOR WATER REMOVAL – DRAIN, DUCT, PIPE, SEWER

      FOOD PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH SENTIMENTALITY – CHEESE, CORN, SAP, SCHMALTZ

      THINGS TO CRACK – EGG, KNUCKLES, SMILE, WINDOW

      ___ CHANGE – CHUMP, CLIMATE, LOOSE, SEA

      The Connections grids differ greatly and change 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 updates daily at midnight local time.

      Who edits the NYT Connections game?

      Wyna Liu, who has been editing puzzles at The New York Times since 2020, handles the daily edits for Connections.

      “A few months ago, I received a new assignment: Create the game boards for Connections, a category-matching game that had recently been approved and was seeking an editor,” Liu explained in an article detailing her process in June 2024. Most of my puzzle experience has been with crosswords, and I was eager to explore something new. I have enjoyed learning how puzzle editing works once a game is greenlit and seeing how our team integrates into a larger ecosystem.”

      On the one-year anniversary of Connections' launch earlier this year, Liu shared this TikTok about her favorite puzzles thus far:

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