NYT Connections Answers (June 16): Puzzle Fans Grapple With Expressionless Words & Cocktail Clues

NYT Connections Answer: The New York Times’ beloved brain teaser Connections returned with its Monday challenge (#735), offering a heady mix of red herrings and clever groupings that left many players scratching their heads — and others cheering in triumph. If today’s puzzle had you stumped, you're not alone.

Let’s break down the challenge, the clues, and what made today's groupings particularly tricky.

What Is NYT Connections and Why It’s So Addictive

For the uninitiated, Connections is a popular word puzzle by The New York Times that tasks players with grouping 16 words into four related categories. The twist? Each group has a shared theme, and some words are intentionally misleading, leading to what the Times calls “deceptive connections.”

To win, players must successfully identify all four groups without making four mistakes — fail, and the answers are automatically revealed.

The words for today’s challenge were:
Shipshape, Inanimate, Carbon, Rod, Glass, Wooden, Bracket, Garnish, Busboy, Trainee, Flat, Straw, Blank, Hook, Coaster, Curtain

Hints Offered for Monday’s Puzzle

If you were stuck, the NYT dropped a few subtle nudges:

  • Yellow: Think of words that are the opposite of expressive.
  • Green: Consider what blocks sunlight from your window.
  • Blue: Picture a cocktail and what typically accompanies it.
  • Purple: Focus on the first part — specifically, methods of transport.

Even more helpful? Bonus hints noted that every group except Yellow contained a word beginning with the letter "C", and that terms like “Wooden,” “Carbon,” and “Glass” were each part of different groups — helpful in avoiding thematic misfires.

Today’s Connections Groups Revealed

Here are the official groups that made up the June 16 puzzle:

  • Yellow (Expressionless): Blank, Flat, Inanimate, Wooden
  • Green (Drapery Hanging Items): Bracket, Curtain, Hook, Rod
  • Blue (What A Drink Is Served With): Coaster, Garnish, Glass, Straw
  • Purple (Starting With Methods Of Transportation): Busboy, Carbon, Shipshape, Trainee

Why Today’s Puzzle Tripped Up Even Seasoned Solvers

What made today's set particularly devious was its thematic overlap. For instance, words like “Wooden” and “Glass” could easily mislead players into forming incorrect categories related to materials. Similarly, “Busboy” and “Trainee” might appear to relate to professions, but the true grouping required a focus on their prefixes — bus, train, ship, and car — each hinting at transportation.

It was this clever misdirection that reminded solvers why Connections continues to grow in popularity: it's not just about vocabulary, but lateral thinking.

And if today’s puzzle gave you a hard time, take comfort in the fact that tomorrow’s fresh challenge will bring new words, new clues — and maybe your next perfect score.

gaming