Connections Hints

Friday, May 22, 2026

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — May 22, 2026

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Show the word gridAll 16 words — you figure out the groups
Show the themesCategory names only, no words revealed
One word per groupTheme name + one word per category
Full solutionAll words and explanations
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Word grid

All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.

ASSEMBLY LINE
BAGGAGE CLAIM
CARRY-ON
CHECK IN
CHECKOUT LANE
CONVENTION
CUSTOM
EL NIÑO
FOLLOW UP
LOOSEY-GOOSEY
RECONNECT
REVOLVING SUSHI BAR
SOCIAL NORM
TAILOR-MADE
TOUCH BASE
UNWRITTEN RULE
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Themes

The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.

REACH BACK OUTStraightforward
THE WAY THINGS ARE DONEModerate
PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTSTricky
STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONESDevious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

REACH BACK OUTStraightforward
THINGS YOU MIGHT DO AFTER LOSING TOUCH WITH SOMEONE+ 3 more…
THE WAY THINGS ARE DONEModerate
RULES NOBODY WROTE DOWN BUT EVERYONE FOLLOWS+ 3 more…
PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTSTricky
SPOTS WHERE THINGS KEEP MOVING PAST YOU ON A BELT+ 3 more…
STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONESDevious
EACH PHRASE BEGINS WITH A SOUND-ALIKE OF A FIRST NAME+ 3 more…
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Full solution
REACH BACK OUTStraightforward
CHECK IN,FOLLOW UP,RECONNECT,TOUCH BASE

CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT, and TOUCH BASE all mean to re-establish contact or communicate with someone after a gap.

THE WAY THINGS ARE DONEModerate
CONVENTION,CUSTOM,SOCIAL NORM,UNWRITTEN RULE

CONVENTION, CUSTOM, SOCIAL NORM, and UNWRITTEN RULE all refer to established practices or behaviors accepted by society without being formally codified.

PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTSTricky
ASSEMBLY LINE,BAGGAGE CLAIM,CHECKOUT LANE,REVOLVING SUSHI BAR

ASSEMBLY LINE, BAGGAGE CLAIM, CHECKOUT LANE, and REVOLVING SUSHI BAR are all places that feature conveyor belts to move items along.

STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONESDevious
CARRY-ON,EL NIÑO,LOOSEY-GOOSEY,TAILOR-MADE

CARRY-ON starts with 'Cary' (Cary Grant), EL NIÑO starts with 'El' (Elle), LOOSEY-GOOSEY starts with 'Lucy' (Lucy), and TAILOR-MADE starts with 'Taylor' (Taylor) — each begins with a homophone of a common name.

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