How today’s NYT Connections answers and red herrings fit together.
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Note: Make sure to complete today’s NYT Connections before reading further! We’ll be getting into spoilers for today’s game pretty quickly. If you need some help to complete the grid, you can find my NYT Connections hints and answers column for today via my author page.
Hey there, Connectors! Welcome to my deeper dive into today’s Connections answers. The idea behind this is to help clear things up for anyone who isn’t sure how today’s groups fit together.
If I’ve missed any red herrings or misunderstood something, let me know via email or on Discord. I don’t typically look at X or check the comments here.
I’m going to assume that you’ve already beaten today’s game. We’re going straight into spoiler territory here. So, consider this your one and only warning.
Here are today’s NYT Connections answers explained (and any red herrings I spot) for Monday, May 25:
Today’s NYT Connections Answers Explained
Connections – Yellow Group
🟨 common promo items (CAP, PIN, SHIRT, STICKER)
These are things that companies and brands will often give away to people. Who doesn’t like free stuff? These often serve a double purpose, as the companies and brands get some free marketing from people wearing their logos.
Connections – Green Group
🟩 tiny bit (JOT, SCRAP, SHRED, WHIT)
The category title more more less takes care of things here. I do love the phrase “not a JOT,” which means “not even a little bit.”
WHIT was a new one to me. According to Merriam-Webster, it means “the smallest part or particle imaginable.” So, there you go!
Connections – Blue Group
🟦 texting abbreviations (ATM, CYA, LOL, TIA)
These refer to:
- ATM > at the minute/moment
- CYA > see ya (see you later)
- LOL > laughing out loud
- TIA > thanks in advance
TIA isn’t one I’d heard of before. TIL about TIA.
Even when I was paying a fee for each individual text I was sending as a teenager – because that’s how things worked way back when – I would refuse to use acronyms like these. If that meant paying for a second text message to finish what I was saying. (No wonder I ended up writing words for a living.)
LOL (and LMAO) is something I use very sparingly. I’ve always prepared the more elegant “hahaha.” There’s nothing wrong with writing “hahaha!” It’s way better.
Connections – Purple Group
🟪 eye____ (BALL, BROW, LASH, LID)
I really don’t think I need to explain this. One of the easiest purple groups ever. Almost shockingly so.
Connections – Red Herrings
Connections often has some red herrings. Let’s take a look at today’s (assuming I spotted any).
SSPL via Getty Images
SCRAP and SHRED could mean to destroy or get rid of. I got stuck on those for a moment.
PIN is also an acronym, which stands for “personal identification number.” You’ll probably use one of these whenever you withdraw cash from an ATM (automated teller machine). Please don’t call them “PIN number” or “ATM machine!”
If you’d like to chat about today’s game of Connections and just about anything else with me and a very lovely group of people, you can do just that in our Discord community. We’d love for you to hang out with us.
I’ll be back with another set of NYT Connections hints and answers tomorrow, as well as another edition of this one, all going well. You’ll be able to find both of those on my Forbes author page when the time comes (following me there helps me out too!). As for the weekend editions of my NYT Connections hints and answers column, I’m currently doing that via my newsletter, Pastimes.
