Issue #1085 Sun 31 May
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — May 31, 2026
A tidy, straightforward grid that rewards a steady hand. Expect a few familiar objects to anchor your progress.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The crayon you reach for first, the glow of a warning sign, or the specific shade of a summer fruit.
Shared visual properties
Items sharing one feature
Members are 6–11 letters; first letters B, P, R, S.
THINGS THAT ARE YELLOW
One is BUTTER.
BUTTER · PIKACHU · RUBBER DUCK · SCHOOL BUS
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
The chalk dust on your hands, the quiet focus of a crowded room, and the finality of the opening strike.
Cue sports terminology
Examples of one named set
Members are 3–6 letters; first letters B, C, P, R.
BILLIARDS TERMS
One is BREAK.
BREAK · CUE · POCKET · RACK
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
A weathered face in a port town, a lifetime spent on the water, and the quiet camaraderie of a long voyage.
Maritime colloquialisms
Colloquial synonyms
Members are 3–7 letters; first letters J, S, T.
SLANG FOR A SAILOR
One is JACK.
JACK · SALT · SEA DOG · TAR
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
An evening at the hardware store or a walk through a lumber yard.
Linguistic wordplay
Letter-substitution wordplay
Members are 4–5 letters; first letters S.
KINDS OF WOOD PLUS "S"
One is SASH.
SASH · SOAK · SPINE · STEAK
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
-
Reveal the yellow group
THINGS THAT ARE YELLOWBUTTER · PIKACHU · RUBBER DUCK · SCHOOL BUS
-
Reveal the green group
BILLIARDS TERMSBREAK · CUE · POCKET · RACK
-
Reveal the blue group
SLANG FOR A SAILORJACK · SALT · SEA DOG · TAR
-
Reveal the violet group
KINDS OF WOOD PLUS "S"SASH · SOAK · SPINE · STEAK
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on May 31, 2026. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for May 31, 2026, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on May 31, 2026?
NYT Connections on May 31, 2026 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 31, 2026?
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 #1085?
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