Today’s grid feels subtle and deceptive, using everyday words with overlapping meanings that make categories hard to spot at first glance.
It mixes faint ideas, involuntary actions, and technical terms, forcing players to rethink assumptions and avoid relying on obvious connections.
The structure unfolds gradually, ending with a clever twist where competition-related prefixes are hidden within longer words, rewarding patience and observation.
Today’s NYT Connections grid is live with a bunch of random words; at least, at a glance, they look random. Some of these words are extremely common, and we use them almost every day. However, they span different categories, making it difficult to group them.
The twist? Some of these words can have multiple meanings, and players may find more than one of those in the puzzle. Therefore, choosing the right category where the word fits is the hardest part.
Connections is among the daily puzzles that The New York Times provides. In this game, there are 16 words that have to be put into four groups of four. Every group has a connection - either a theme, a phrase, or a category.
The groups are marked with colors according to their difficulty level:
Yellow is typically the most direct.
Green calls for a little more logical thinking.
Blue is more oriented to cultural or linguistic knowledge.
Purple is more likely to contain complex wordplay or references to popular culture.
Every round gives three wrong guesses before the end of the game; every selection becomes crucial.
Today’s 16 Words List
Here are helpful nudges for today’s puzzle.
Yellow Group Hint: Think of words that indicate something that’s hardly there.
Green Group Hint: These are actions that you can’t control.
Blue Group Hint: Terms we use to mean ‘keeping things together.’
Purple Group Hint: For this group, look for words that use competitive terms.
Still a bit confused? Here’s another set of clues to find the right track:
Yellow: FLICKER
Green: HICCUP
Blue: HITCH
Purple: SETBACK
Below are the exact categories and answers for May 5, 2026:
Yellow group (GLIMMER): FLICKER, HINT, SUGGESTION, WHIFF
Green group (INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS): BLINK, HICCUP, SHIVER, SNEEZE
Blue group (KINDS OF KNOTS): BEND, BOWLINE, HITCH, SHEEPSHANK
Purple group (STARTING WITH UNITS IN COMPETITIONS): GAMELAN, MATCHSTICK, POINTER, SETBACK
Check Out the Image Below to Learn How to Make the Sets of Today's Puzzle:
NYT Connections puzzle for May 5 stands out for its layered thinking and clever word selection. The puzzle pushes players to look beyond the obvious meanings of the words. Players have to understand how words function in different contexts.
What makes the puzzle particularly satisfying is the way it unfolds. Early groups may seem straightforward, but the deeper categories demand patience and a willingness to rethink initial assumptions. The final reveal, especially with the cleverly hidden competitive prefixes, ties the entire puzzle together in a rewarding way.