NYT Connections hints and answers for May 16, 2025

NYT Connections is back again with another brain-teasing puzzle to challenge your word association skills. As part of the New York Times’ suite of daily games, Connections asks players to find four groups of four words that share a hidden link. Each day, puzzle offers a fresh grid of 16 words with cryptic, clever, and culturally loaded associations. The categories vary in difficulty, from the straightforward (yellow) to the mind-bending (purple), giving players a thrilling ride through logic, pop culture, and wordplay. One wrong group can throw you off—so strategy and sharp thinking are essential.The game presents you with 16 words in a 4x4 grid. Your task is to sort them into four distinct groups of four that are connected in theme. These themes might relate to anything—from nature and colors to idioms or celebrity references. You’re allowed only four mistakes, so choose wisely. Use the “shuffle” option to refresh your perspective, or say the words aloud for better association. The color-coded difficulty system goes from yellow (easiest) to green, then blue, and ends with purple (most difficult).Stuck? Here’s a clue for each group to help you without giving away the answer:Yellow: Greenery – Think of plant types Green: Termination – All about stopping somethingBlue: Stubborn as a ____ – Words associated with bullsPurple: What a structure could be made of – Hidden building materialsHere’s your spoiler-safe reveal of today’s answers:Yellow: Kinds of Plants – HERB, SHRUB, TREE, VINEGreen: Discontinue – DISSOLVE, END, SCRAP, SUNSETBlue: Associated with Bulls – MICHAEL JORDAN, RODEO, TAURUS, WALL STREETPurple: Ending with Building Materials – HOLLYWOOD, HOURGLASS, KUBRICK, NEUROPLASTICWith bulls charging through blue clues and construction materials hiding in purple words, today’s puzzle was anything but simple. Whether you cracked it in one go or needed a few retries, the thrill of Connections keeps us all coming back. Join us again tomorrow for another round of clever clues and satisfying “aha!” moments. Until then, happy puzzling!