NYT Crossword Clues and Solutions for May 9, 2025 Friday Edition
Ready to crack the code on today's Connections game? Here's your lowdown on May 9, 2025's NYT Connections puzzle. I'll share some hints, strategies, and the final answers for all categories. Just remember, there are spoilers below, so if you don't want to know the answers, skip ahead!
Bookmark this page to quickly access our daily Connections hints. You can also find previous hints here if you missed any.
Below, I've supplied some vague pointers to today's Connections solution. Scroll further for the themes and answers; read slowly if you aim to keep the answers a surprise!
Oblique Hints for Today's Connections Solution
- Yellow Category: After adjusting your TV, you'll want these factors just right.
- Green Category: My recollection of this is hazy.
- Blue Category: These words are leftover from your algebra homework.
- Purple Category: These items help keep the sunlight out when you're indoors.
Spoiler Alert!
We're dishing out some solutions. Read slowly if you don't wish to know everything. (The entire solution lies a bit further down.)
Heads up on tricky sections
There are no pop culture or tricky spelling categories to throw you off today.
"PRODUCT" signifies the result of multiplying two numbers together.
"BLIND" does not refer to being sightless. Instead, it's an item you might hang on your window to keep out the sun.
"REMOTE" means something distant and uncertain.
What are the Connections categories today?
- Yellow: Television Adjustments
- Green: Cloudy Memories
- Blue: Arithmetic Results
- Purple: Window Treatments
Doubly Warning: Solutions Ahead
Prepared for today's Connections puzzle answers? I'm about to spill the beans.
What are the yellow words in today's Connections?
The yellow grouping contains the theme of Television Adjustments, and the words are:- BRIGHTNESS- COLOR- CONTRAST- TINT
What are the green words in today's Connections?
The green grouping has the theme of Cloudy Memories, and the words are:- DIM- FAINT- REMOTE- VAGUE
What are the blue words in today's Connections?
The blue grouping centers on Arithmetic Results, and the words are:- DIFFERENCE- PRODUCT- QUOTIENT- SUM
What are the purple words in today's Connections?
The purple grouping concerns Window Treatments, and the words are:- BLIND- DRAPE- SHADE- SHUTTER
Solving Strategy
I see a few potential categories right away. One is a TV settings category, containing CONTRAST and BRIGHTNESS. I don't see others.
Another appears to be a color category, with SHADE, COLOR, and TINT.
I also see one with words representing far-off or uncertain things: DIM, REMOTE, FAINT, VAGUE. Let's try that one first as I have four that seem fitting.
Oh, maybe SHADE actually fits with DRAPE, SHUTTER, and BLIND to describe various window coverings. That was the purple group? Alright!
Now I see that CONTRAST, COLOR, BRIGHTNESS, and TINT all belong together as words describing TV settings or digital photo editing preferences. It's the TV one, nice.
The remaining words are DIFFERENCE, SUM, PRODUCT, and QUOTIENT, which are all math equation words.
About Connections
You can find the Connections game on the New York Times website or in their Games app (formerly the Crossword app). On the game board, you'll see 16 tiles, each with one word or phrase. You must identify a group of four tiles that share a common aspect. Often, they are the same type of thing (for example, RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW are all types of wet weather), but sometimes there is wordplay involved (for example, BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH are all types of lists: bucket list, guest list, and so on).
Select four items and hit the Submit button. If your guess is correct, the category and color will be revealed. If your guess is incorrect, you'll get another shot.
You win when you correctly identify all four groups. But if you make four mistakes before you finish, the game ends and the answers are revealed.
Winning at Connections
The essential thing to know to win Connections is that the groupings are designed to be tricky. Expect overlapping groups. For example, one puzzle seemed to include six breakfast foods: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. However, BACON turned out to be part of a group of woodworkers along with PLANE, GLUE, and CHISEL, and EGG was in a group of things that come by the dozen (along with JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). So don't click "submit" until you're certain your group of four includes only those four items.
If you're at a loss, another strategy is to look at the words that seem to have no connection to the others. If the only thing that comes to mind when you see WHISTLER is "Whistler's Mother," you might be on to something. When I solved that one, I found myself Googling whether there was a woodworker named Close, as Close didn't seem to fit any obvious themes either.
Another approach to winning when you're stuck is, obviously, to read a few helpful tips—like these pointers I've provided! Check back tomorrow for the next puzzle!
- Bookmark this page for daily Entertainment with hints on NYT Connections solutions.
- Today's Yellow Category is Television Adjustments, with hints for BRIGHTNESS, COLOR, CONTRAST, and TINT.
- The Green Category is Cloudy Memories, with hints for DIM, FAINT, REMOTE, and VAGUE.
- The Blue Category centers on Arithmetic Results, with hints for DIFFERENCE, PRODUCT, QUOTIENT, and SUM.
- The Purple Category concerns Window Treatments, with hints for BLIND, DRAPE, SHADE, and SHUTTER.
- Technology and weather enthusiasts might find clue connections between the Omelet category in today's puzzle and weather patterns or digital tools for image manipulation.
