Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThis is the Saturday, May 16, 2026 NYT Connections puzzle, game #1070—not the separate May 16, 2025 puzzle, game #705. Start with a gentle nudge, reveal the category names if you need more help, or skip to the full solutions below.
How Connections works
Connections asks players to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Players select four words and submit a guess; Forbes’ description says four mistakes end the game. The groups are color-coded: yellow is usually the easiest and purple usually the hardest. You can shuffle the words, and the game may indicate that you are “one word away” from a correct group. These are Forbes’ descriptions of gameplay, not results from a test of this particular puzzle.
Forbes lists the NYT website and Games app as places to play. Access and subscription conditions may vary; check the current NYT offering if you need those details.
Gentle hints for May 16, 2026
Try these nudges before looking at the category names:
The Tool Desk
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- One group consists of items used to serve drinks.
- One group can follow “mess around” to describe what someone does with something.
- One group contains words used as musical performance directions.
- For the last group, look at the ends of the words and think of ways to say “ASAP.”
Category hints
Spoiler warning: The category names below make the intended connections explicit. Stop here if you want to keep solving.
- Glassware
- Mess Around (With)
- Music Performance Directions
- Ending in Synonyms for ASAP
Full answers for game #1070
Spoiler warning: The complete word groupings follow.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 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
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