Here is your Saturday brain workout! The NYT Connections May 17 puzzle is packed with words ranging from biology to digital technology. The puzzle will test your pattern recognition skills. As usual, the puzzle presents 16 words and tasks you with sorting them into four groups of four words, each group connected by a theme.
So are you looking for a nudge in the right direction? We've compiled some hints to help you crack this puzzle. Put on your thinking caps, and let's dive in!
Hints for NYT Connections May 17, 2025
Image: New York Times
For the yellow group, think of forms of life. If you recall your lessons from biology, the words should ring a bell of classification of living organisms.
The green group is about instruments or tools that have markings or scales to indicate measurement. The blue group is talking about flightless birds often associated with cold climates.
And the purple group? It is talking about the internet-savvy counterparts of these words.
Yellow Group Hint: Biological classification
Green Group Hint: Measuring tools
Blue Group Hint: Species of flightless birds
Purple Group Hint: Just plug in an “e” and go digital
Time for the big reveal. Scroll down for the NYT Connections May 17 answer.
NYT Connections Answers for May 17, 2025 (Saturday)
Struggling with today’s puzzle? Here are the solutions for NYT Connections May 17:
Image: New York Times
Find the NYT Connections May 17 answer below. The solution to today’s Connections #705 is ready for you to check—scroll down for the reveal!
YELLOW: Member of a kingdom in taxonomy (ANIMAL, BACTERIA, FUNGUS, PLANT)
GREEN: Graduated instruments (BEAKER, RULER, PROTRACTOR, SYRINGE)
BLUE: Kinds of Penguins (EMPEROR, KING, CHINSTRAP, MACARONI)
PURPLE: “E” things (COMMERCE, MAIL, SCOOTER, SIGNATURE)
What is the NYT Connections Game?
NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle from the New York Times. You are given 16 words and tasked to sort them into four sets of four words. Each group shares a common theme. Some connections are obvious right away, think colours or animals, while others are hiding behind puns, idioms, or pop culture references. Each category is colour-coded by difficulty: yellow (easy), green (moderate), blue (challenging), and purple (difficult).
How to Play the NYT Connections Puzzle
You are given a grid of 16 words. Your challenge is to find four groups of four words that share a common connection. Once you think you have found a set, hit submit. If you are right, your set gets validated. If wrong, you will lose a life. You only get four attempts to get it right.
Best Strategies to Solve NYT Connections Puzzles
Look for easy, obvious categories like food, seasons, colours, etc. Keep an eye out for homophones, puns, and words with double meanings. If you hit a roadblock, hit shuffle. If you are still stumped, take a break and come back later with fresh eyes.
Other NYT Games to Explore
If you are loving NYT Connections, check out other hit games from The New York Times.
Wordle: Guess a five-letter word in six attempts.
Spelling Bee: Craft as many words as possible from a set of seven letters.
Mini Crossword: For a quick wordplay.
That's all for today's NYT Connections puzzle! Be sure to come back tomorrow for NYT Connections Hints and Answers for May 18, 2025.
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