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Today’s puzzle blends casual terms like joint and haunt with structured financial terms like trust fund and mutual fund.
The green category tests knowledge of Olympic events, requiring players to connect fence, ride, shoot, and swim sports.
Words like ice and lock might seem unrelated at first but are cleverly grouped as synonyms for securing a win.
The NYT Connections puzzle for May 31, 2025, is a clever blend of leisure, athletic grit, and financial finesse. Puzzle #721 comes with its usual mix of obvious, sly, and downright devious. Whether you’re sipping from a ‘joint,’ pondering the pentathlon, or locking in a win, today’s puzzle has something to tease every type of solver.
Let’s break it down with a few strategic hints and, for those stuck or simply curious, the full solution below.
These nudges will help you sort today’s Connections grid without revealing the answers, unless you scroll down, of course:
Yellow Category (Easiest)
Theme: Cheers!
Hint: Think neighborhood bars and where locals unwind.
Green Category (Moderate)
Theme: Olympic Competition
Hint: These are events found in one demanding, multi-sport Olympic contest.
Blue Category (Trickier)
Theme: It’s in the Bag
Hint: These words mean to secure something, especially a win.
Purple Category (Hardest)
Theme: Not Fun, but…
Hint: Fill-in-the-blanks for different kinds of ‘___ fund’ types.
Still stuck? Here’s the full breakdown of how the puzzle plays out:
Yellow Group: Local Watering Hole
Words: DIVE, ESTABLISHMENT, HAUNT, JOINT
These are all terms you might use for a bar or pub, your regular hangout spot.
Green Group: Compete in a Modern Pentathlon
Words: FENCE, RIDE, SHOOT, SWIM
Each of these verbs describes a component of the modern pentathlon, a true Olympic challenge.
Blue Group: Ensure, As a Victory
Words: CINCH, GUARANTEE, ICE, LOCK
All these suggest sealing the deal or making victory certain.
Purple Group: ____ Fund
Words: HEDGE, MUTUAL, SLUSH, TRUST
Insert ‘fund’ after each to form well-known financial or political phrases.
Connections #721 has a deceptively casual start with its nods to bars and joints but quickly veers into Olympic events and fiscal jargon. Whether ‘HAUNT’ threw you off or ‘ICE’ felt ambiguous, the key to cracking Connections is pattern recognition and a little persistence. Come back tomorrow for more clues and categories, maybe even with a perfect streak in tow.
Also Read: NYT Connections May 30, 2025: Puzzle Hints, Tips, and Solutions Revealed
