A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #710
hints & answers for May 21, 2025

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows May 21, 2025. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.

Which group has you stuck?

Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, B, D and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BAR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PROHIBIT, AS ENTRY

Reveal all four words
  • BAR
  • BLOCK
  • DENY
  • REFUSE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with D, M, P and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DESKTOP belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FOLDERS ON A MAC

Reveal all four words
  • DESKTOP
  • MUSIC
  • PICTURES
  • TRASH

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, P, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CREAM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MEDICINE FORMATS

Reveal all four words
  • CREAM
  • PATCH
  • SPRAY
  • TABLET

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, C, L and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CLAM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS THAT OPEN LIKE A CLAM

Reveal all four words
  • CLAM
  • COMPACT
  • LAPTOP
  • WAFFLE IRON
Show categories only
  • Yellow: PROHIBIT, AS ENTRY
  • Green: FOLDERS ON A MAC
  • Blue: MEDICINE FORMATS
  • Purple: THINGS THAT OPEN LIKE A CLAM

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

PROHIBIT, AS ENTRY

BAR · BLOCK · DENY · REFUSE

Green

FOLDERS ON A MAC

DESKTOP · MUSIC · PICTURES · TRASH

Blue

MEDICINE FORMATS

CREAM · PATCH · SPRAY · TABLET

Purple

THINGS THAT OPEN LIKE A CLAM

CLAM · COMPACT · LAPTOP · WAFFLE IRON

This puzzle’s recorded solution

The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.

About the answers and hints

Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.

Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.

The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.