NYT Connections Answers Today (May 12): Struggling To Solve? Here Are Tips, Clues To Up You Game

NYT Connections Answers Today: The New York Times' daily brain teaser, Connections, is back this Monday with a fresh set of 16 words just waiting to be decoded. The challenge, as always, is to find the common thread between seemingly unrelated terms by sorting them into four logical groups. And if today’s grid is anything to go by, your Monday morning coffee might not be the only thing making your brain buzz.

For those new to the game, Connections isn’t your average word scramble — it's a cleverly designed puzzle that tests your ability to spot subtle associations, double meanings, and cultural cues. And as always, the categories come colour-coded by difficulty: yellow for the easy wins, green for the mid-level thinkers, blue for the ones that demand more effort, and purple for the real curveballs.

Let’s break down the clues before we spill the answers.

Yellow Group: Money Matters

If you were looking for a quick win today, the yellow group was the place to start. The hint? "Money, money, money." With that cue, the answer practically wrote itself. Think of places where you typically spot physical currency — yes, that green paper still in use. The final set here included ATM, CASH REGISTER, TIP JAR, WALLET.

Green Group: The Bounce Effect

Next up, the green group played around with the idea of movement — specifically, bouncing or deflecting off a surface. Picture a ball hitting a wall or a cue ball banking off a table edge. That led to BANK, BOUNCE, CAROM, RICOCHET forming the correct quartet. It’s a group that feels both sporty and scientific.

Blue Group: Website Metrics, Anyone?

If you're into digital analytics, the blue group might have come easily. The clue here pointed to "Report card of a website" — a neat nod to the metrics that measure online performance. The final four here were CLICK, HIT, PAGE VIEW, VISIT — all common indicators in the world of web traffic.

Purple Group: Say It Without Saying It

The purple group brought the biggest twist of the day. The hint: "Reading lips." That led players to think about things we do with our lips — expressions that don’t need words. The final group included CURL, PUCKER, PURSE, SMACK. Not quite a kiss, not quite a grimace — but definitely lip-centric.

What Makes NYT Connections Click?

Connections isn’t just about vocabulary. It’s about pattern recognition, pop culture familiarity, and sometimes, just trusting your gut. Each day’s puzzle is like a mini-battle between your intuition and logic. “There is no one strategy to play Connections,” says the game's description. “But a good one would be to start by spotting the words that are too direct or obvious.”

One tip: don’t hesitate to shuffle the grid if you’re stuck. A fresh layout can work wonders. And if your brain feels fried? Step away and return later. Sometimes, letting your subconscious do the work is half the fun.

Ready for tomorrow’s challenge? Until then, may your clicks be plenty and your smack not be accidental.

gaming