Good morning, Connectors! Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was everything you needed it to be — whether that was rest, adventure, or a mix of both. We’re kicking off the week with another brain-tickling round of the NYT Connections game.
Before we get to today’s puzzle, let’s take a moment to celebrate yesterday’s challenge. If you haven’t yet, you can check out the Connections answers for Sunday, May 18, right [here].
How To Play Connections
If you’re new (welcome aboard!), Connections is a daily word puzzle from the NYT. You’re given a grid of 16 seemingly random words. Your task is to group them into four correct categories — each group containing four words with a shared connection.
The difficulty is color-coded:
- Yellow: Easiest
- Green: Medium
- Blue: Trickier
- Purple: Most challenging — often involves puns, homophones, or wordplay
Make too many incorrect guesses, and it’s game over. So tread carefully and think laterally!
Also read: Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues and Answers for Monday, May 19
Today’s Words (May 19)
Here’s your grid for today:
MELON, BALL, CHANCE, BAWL, SOUL, BLUBBER, FUNCTION, FLUKE, UTILITY, TOW, AVENUE, BENEFIT, FLIPPER, RAILROAD, GALA, HEAL
Looks chaotic? Let’s bring some order to the madness.
Today’s Connections Hints for May 19, 2025
Need a nudge in the right direction? Here are some gentle clues for each category:
- Yellow — Think about events you might dress up for, especially those with a good cause.
- Green — These are locations you can buy or land on in a popular board game.
- Blue — These relate to the anatomy of a certain oceanic creature.
- Purple — Listen closely: these words sound like parts of your body, particularly your feet.
What Are The Categories?
Still stuck? Here are today’s four categories — without giving away the words just yet:
- Fundraising Event
- Monopoly Spaces
- Toothed Whale Features
- Foot Homophones
Today’s Connections Answers for May 19, 2025
Ready for the full reveal? Here’s how the groups shake out:
Yellow – Fundraising Event
BALL, BENEFIT, FUNCTION, GALA
These are all formal or semi-formal gatherings, typically aimed at raising money for a cause.
Green – Monopoly Spaces
AVENUE, CHANCE, RAILROAD, UTILITY
If you’ve ever played Monopoly, these should ring a bell. Each one represents a type of property or spot on the board.
Blue – Toothed Whale Features
MELON, BLUBBER, FLIPPER, FLUKE
Marine biology fans may know these anatomical parts of whales and dolphins. (A melon, fun fact, is a fatty organ in their forehead used for echolocation.)
Purple – Homophones of Foot Parts
BAWL, HEAL, SOUL, TOW
These sound like ball, heel, sole, and toe. Tricky, and a little cheeky — especially since BALL appears separately in the yellow group!
Commentary and Strategy
I started with the obvious — BALL and GALA gave off fancy party vibes. I added FUNCTION and BENEFIT, and that locked in the yellow group right away. Easy win.
The Monopoly group came next — RAILROAD and UTILITY were unmistakable. Once I saw CHANCE, I figured AVENUE rounded that group out.
The blue category tripped me up for a moment. FLIPPER and BLUBBER had a strong aquatic vibe. At first, I considered a “pinball” theme with BALL, FLIPPER, and RAILROAD, but no dice. Then I remembered the MELON in dolphins — yes, it’s a real thing — and added FLUKE, which is a whale’s tail.
The purple group came last — and it was tricky. I had to say the words aloud to spot the homophones: BAWL for ball, HEAL for heel, SOUL for sole, and TOW for toe. Sneaky, NYT. Very sneaky.
Related:
Musical Moment
In honor of today’s party-themed yellow group — and because Mondays can always use a little pep — here’s a track to dance your stress away:
“Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” by Baccara
Or, for something extra fun, check out the energetic cover by The Fratellis — a shout-out to Scottish football fans everywhere. It’s a bop, it’s nostalgic, and it might just make you forget it’s Monday.
Also read: Today’s Quordle Hints & Answers – May 19, Game #1211
Until Tomorrow…
That wraps up today’s Connections. I hope you nailed it! If not, there’s always tomorrow — and I’ll be right here with fresh hints and insights to help you through.
Be sure to check back for more daily Connections breakdowns. In the meantime, stay curious, stay hydrated, and maybe call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
