NYT Connections May 17 Hints and Answers #1071

Introduction to NYT Connections

Good morning! If you're looking for a fun and challenging way to test your vocabulary and logic skills, then you might want to try playing Connections, the New York Times' clever word game. This game is designed to challenge players to group answers into various categories, making it both engaging and intellectually stimulating. While it can be quite difficult, there are always hints and strategies available if you need them.

Once you've finished playing, why not try some other word games? There are daily Strands hints and answers, as well as Quordle hints and answers, which can provide additional entertainment. For those who enjoy the original viral word game, Marc's Wordle today page is an excellent resource.

SPOILER WARNING

If you're currently playing today's NYT Connections puzzle, please be aware that the following information contains spoilers. If you don't want to know the answers, it's best to avoid reading further.

Today's NYT Connections Words

Today's NYT Connections words include:

• STEEP
• PRIMARY
• STRAIN
• STIFF
• HIGH
• MAIN
• FLEECE
• GRAMMAR
• HOSE
• PIPE
• SQUEEZE
• BOIL
• LINE
• GRADE
• POUR
• DUCT

Clues for Today's Groups

Here are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups:

YELLOW: - Plumbing

GREEN: - Trick someone

BLUE: - Make a cuppa

PURPLE: - Types of education establishments

If you need more clues, keep reading.

Answers for Today's Groups

If you're ready to find out the answers, here they are:

YELLOW: CONDUIT
- DUCT, LINE, MAIN, PIPE

GREEN: SWINDLE
- FLEECE, HOSE, SQUEEZE, STIFF

BLUE: TEA-MAKING VERBS
- BOIL, POUR, STEEP, STRAIN

PURPLE: "SCHOOL" MODIFIERS
- GRADE, GRAMMAR, HIGH, PRIMARY

Personal Reflections on the Game

My rating for today's puzzle was hard, and I made one mistake. The error I made could have serious consequences in the UK, where I'm based. The word STEEP immediately made me think of TEA-MAKING VERBS, but I mistakenly chose SQUEEZE instead of STRAIN, which is what you do with tea leaves. The shame of this mistake will stay with me for years.

On the other hand, I had no issues with the words related to SWINDLE. Although I was initially thinking about plumbing diagrams rather than the word CONDUIT, I easily connected DUCT, LINE, MAIN, and PIPE.

Yesterday's Answers

For those interested in previous puzzles, here are the answers from yesterday's NYT Connections (Saturday, May 16, game #1070):

YELLOW: GLASSWARE
- COUPE, FLUTE, STEIN, TUMBLER

GREEN: MESS AROUND (WITH)
- FIDDLE, MESS, PLAY, TINKER

BLUE: MUSIC PERFORMANCE DIRECTIONS
- ALLEGRO, FORTE, LARGO, PIANO

PURPLE: ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "ASAP"
- BASSOON, BELFAST, NESQUICK, THERMOSTAT

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games created by the New York Times. It challenges players to find groups of four items that share something in common. Each group has a different difficulty level, with green being the easiest, yellow slightly harder, blue often quite tough, and purple usually very difficult.

One of the benefits of the game is that you don't technically need to solve the final group, as you can deduce it through elimination. Additionally, you can make up to four mistakes, giving you some flexibility.

While it's more involved than something like Wordle, there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. Be on the lookout for homophones and other wordplay that could disguise the answers.

You can play NYT Connections for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.