A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #1060
hints & answers for May 6, 2026

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 6, 2026. 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
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with C, C, D and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CARDS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FOUND IN A CASINO

Reveal all four words
  • CARDS
  • CHIPS
  • DICE
  • SLOT MACHINE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with B, B, L and Z. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BUCKLE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WAYS TO FASTEN THINGS

Reveal all four words
  • BUCKLE
  • BUTTON
  • LACES
  • ZIPPER

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with B, B, L and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOWLING BALL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SEEN IN A BOWLING ALLEY

Reveal all four words
  • BOWLING BALL
  • BOWLING PINS
  • LANE
  • SCORECARD

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with C, H, H and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CIRCLE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FLAG DESIGNS

Reveal all four words
  • CIRCLE
  • HORIZONTAL BISECTION
  • HORIZONTAL TRISECTION
  • VERTICAL TRISECTION
Show categories only
  • Yellow: FOUND IN A CASINO
  • Green: WAYS TO FASTEN THINGS
  • Blue: SEEN IN A BOWLING ALLEY
  • Purple: FLAG DESIGNS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

FOUND IN A CASINO

CARDS · CHIPS · DICE · SLOT MACHINE

Green

WAYS TO FASTEN THINGS

BUCKLE · BUTTON · LACES · ZIPPER

Blue

SEEN IN A BOWLING ALLEY

BOWLING BALL · BOWLING PINS · LANE · SCORECARD

Purple

FLAG DESIGNS

CIRCLE · HORIZONTAL BISECTION · HORIZONTAL TRISECTION · VERTICAL TRISECTION

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.