The New York Times' popular daily puzzle game, Connections, presents a unique challenge: grouping 16 seemingly disparate words into four distinct categories. The game, which requires players to identify common themes without making more than four errors, often features deceptive red herrings and obscure connections.
Throughout late May and June 2026, players grappled with a variety of word groupings across multiple puzzles. These daily challenges, detailed in guides from Rock Paper Shotgun, showcase the intricate wordplay and diverse thematic inspirations that define the game.
May 2026 Puzzles
The final days of May 2026 offered a range of themes. For Friday, May 29th, the puzzle included categories such as "Oceans," "Sources Of Distinctive Smells," "Kinds Of Rooms In A Mansion," and "What 'PA' Might Refer To." Saturday, May 30th, presented "'In Your Dreams,'" "Sensible," "Typographical Symbols," and "Song of the Year Nominees at the First Grammy Awards." Sunday, May 31st, rounded out the month with "Things That Are Yellow," "Billiards Terms," "Slang For A Sailor," and "Kinds Of Wood Plus 'S'."
June 2026 Puzzles
June began with varied challenges. Monday, June 1st, featured "Room Features," "Old-Timey Looking Accessories," "Subjects in Tennessee Williams Titles," and "___ Ring." Tuesday, June 2nd, introduced "Clandestine," "British Potato Dishes," "Heraldic Achievements," and "Ending In Modal Auxiliary Verbs." Wednesday, June 3rd, tested players with "Kinds of Rice," "Gummy Bear Descriptors," "Savory Stuffed Pastries," and "Disney Princesses Minus Last Letter." Thursday, June 4th, offered "Painting Media," "Esprit," "Starts of Classic Hip-Hop Groups," and "Ghost ___".
Further into June, the puzzles continued to explore diverse topics. Friday, June 5th, had "Associated With Hansel and Gretel," "Bit of Cereal," "Demi Moore Movies," and "Ending in Methods of Transportation." Saturday, June 6th, presented "Pillar," "Indicate," "Kinds of Lizards," and "___ Table." Sunday, June 7th, brought "Translucent, As Fabric," "Speak," "Demolish," and "Music Genre Suffixes."
Mid-June puzzles included Monday, June 8th's "Landforms By Water," "Slang for Head," "Things That Can Be Spiked," and "'The ___ Man' Movies." Tuesday, June 9th, featured "Symbols of Innocence," "Things You're Not Supposed to Reveal," "Things Represented in Superscript," and "Slang for Musical Instruments." Wednesday, June 10th, offered "Technique," "Gross Things That Form on Wet Surfaces," "Parts of a Theater," and "Counted in Document Word Counts."
As June progressed, the puzzles maintained their complexity. Thursday, June 11th, had "Parts of a Workout Routine," "Things with Horns," "Homophones of SUVs," and "Payment Apps Minus a Letter." Friday, June 12th, presented "Starting with Incantations," "Starting with Animal Group Names," "Starting with Synonyms for 'Repeat'," and "Starting with Parts of a River." Saturday, June 13th, included "Seen at a Tea Service," "Enduring Song," "Used in Movie Practical Effects," and "Words Before 'Story' in Movie Titles." Sunday, June 14th, brought "Classic Slapstick Props," "Things That Spin," "Featured in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'," and "What 'MA' Might Refer To."
The latter half of June continued the trend of challenging word groupings. Monday, June 15th, featured "Staying Power," "Get Ready for a Night Out," "Chinese Zodiac Animals," and "Flowers." Tuesday, June 16th, presented "Creamy Salad Dressings," "Attendants," "Rare Things, Idiomatically," and "What 'Hoops' Might Refer To." Wednesday, June 17th, offered "Alcove," "Bodily Words for Attitude," "Figures in Greek Myth," and "Starting with Synonyms for 'Ilk'." Thursday, June 18th, brought "Fitness Class Types," "Demeanor," "Peace Activists," and "Tools Minus Last Two Letters."
Finally, the month concluded with intricate puzzles. Friday, June 19th, included "Umami-Rich Foods," "Things a Beginner Might Learn on the Piano," "Starting with Magazines," and "Ending in Synonyms for 'Aggregate'." Saturday, June 20th, featured "Featuring Silent and Pronounced 'K's," "Endorse," "Kinds of Chairs," and "Words Repeated in Hit Song Titles." Sunday, June 21st, presented "Precipitation," "Bowls Over," "NBC Sitcoms," and "Starting with Kinds of Insults." Monday, June 22nd, offered "Dominant," "Multiplication Indicators," "Pronunciation Descriptors," and "Starting with Explosive Onomatopoeia." Tuesday, June 23rd, included "Dance Styles," "In a Monopoly Box," "Content Sorting Options Online," and "Things with Mantles/Mantels." The month culminated on Wednesday, June 24th, with "Prog Bands," "Classic Wedding Gifts," "Red Characters," and "Rhyming Compound Words."