Issue #706 Sat 17 May
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — May 17, 2025
Today’s grid requires a steady hand to untangle four distinct sets. The paths are straightforward once the initial misdirection is set aside.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
A walk through the woods where you stop to identify the moss on a damp log or the lichen clinging to a stone.
Biological sciences
Direct classification
Members are 5–8 letters; first letters A, B, F, P.
MEMBER OF A KINGDOM IN TAXONOMY
One is ANIMAL.
ANIMAL · BACTERIA · FUNGUS · PLANT
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
Staring at the meniscus of a liquid in a lab, waiting for the level to settle exactly on the mark.
Laboratory hardware
Functional items with specific markings
Members are 5–10 letters; first letters B, P, R, S.
GRADUATED INSTRUMENTS
One is BEAKER.
BEAKER · PROTRACTOR · RULER · SYRINGE
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
Look at a rooster. Look closely, then look at the birds shuffling across the ice in a documentary.
Zoology
Varieties of a specific species
Members are 4–9 letters; first letters C, E, K, M.
KINDS OF PENGUINS
One is CHINSTRAP.
CHINSTRAP · EMPEROR · KING · MACARONI
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
Where the lawnmower lives, where the mail piles up, where the kids hide.
Wordplay
Words sharing a common prefix
Members are 4–9 letters; first letters C, M, S.
“E” THINGS
One is COMMERCE.
COMMERCE · MAIL · SCOOTER · SIGNATURE
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
MEMBER OF A KINGDOM IN TAXONOMYANIMAL · BACTERIA · FUNGUS · PLANT
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Reveal the green group
GRADUATED INSTRUMENTSBEAKER · PROTRACTOR · RULER · SYRINGE
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Reveal the blue group
KINDS OF PENGUINSCHINSTRAP · EMPEROR · KING · MACARONI
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Reveal the violet group
“E” THINGSCOMMERCE · MAIL · SCOOTER · SIGNATURE
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on May 17, 2025. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for May 17, 2025, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on May 17, 2025?
NYT Connections on May 17, 2025 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on May 17, 2025?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #706?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words