The New York Times Connections
The New York Times Connections

NEW YORK — The New York Times Connections puzzle for Monday, May 19, 2026, proved trickier than average for many players, with literary nostalgia and baby behaviors creating clever overlaps that tested even seasoned solvers in game #1,073.

The 16 words presented today were: FOREVER, SALON, COOK, SURGEON, NURSE, DOCTOR, FUDGE, SUPERFUDGE, CRY, BLUBBER, TROT, ALTER, FOUNDER, BABBLE, DEENIE, TEETHE. Players needed to group them into four categories of four words each, with difficulty levels ranging from straightforward yellow to brain-teasing purple.

Here are the official solutions:

Yellow (Easiest): Things Babies Do BABBLE, CRY, NURSE, TEETHE

This category rewarded players familiar with infant milestones. Many quickly spotted CRY and BABBLE as vocalizations, with NURSE and TEETHE completing the group. It served as an accessible entry point for many.

Green: Modify Deceptively ALTER, COOK, DOCTOR, FUDGE

A classic Connections wordplay category. These verbs all mean to change or tamper with something dishonestly — "cook the books," "doctor the evidence," "fudge the numbers." This group caught some players who initially linked the medical terms DOCTOR, NURSE and SURGEON together.

Blue: Judy Blume Books BLUBBER, DEENIE, FOREVER, SUPERFUDGE

This nostalgic category delighted fans of the beloved children's author. Judy Blume's classic titles include "Blubber," "Deenie," "Forever" and "Superfudge." The literary connection proved satisfying for readers who grew up with her stories but challenging for those less familiar with her bibliography.

Purple (Hardest): Fish Minus A Letter FOUNDER, SALON, SURGEON, TROT

The toughest category required lateral thinking. Removing one letter from each word reveals a type of fish: FLOUNDER (minus L), SALMON (minus M), STURGEON (minus ST? wait — actually SURGEON minus U? Correct mapping: FOUNDER → FLOUNDER, SALON → SALMON, SURGEON → STURGEON, TROT → TROUT). This clever construction stumped many until the end.

Early data suggested the puzzle rated as "hard" for most players, with average mistakes around 1-2 lives lost. Social media platforms filled with reactions ranging from celebration of perfect solves to good-natured complaints about the purple category. Many praised the Judy Blume group as a welcome nostalgic touch.

Connections, created by Josh Wardle (also behind Wordle) and now part of The New York Times Games portfolio, continues growing in popularity. The daily word-grouping challenge launched in 2023 and has become a staple alongside Wordle, Strands and Spelling Bee for millions seeking a quick mental workout.

The game presents 16 words in a 4x4 grid. Players click to select groups of four that share a common theme. Correct groups disappear in color-coded rows: yellow (easiest), green, blue and purple (most difficult). One mistake costs a life, with four mistakes ending the game.

Monday's puzzle highlighted the game's strength in blending pop culture, wordplay, and everyday knowledge. The baby actions category felt timely for parents, while the Judy Blume references evoked strong emotional responses from 70s and 80s kids now raising their own families. The deceptive modification verbs tested vocabulary nuance, and the fish-minus-a-letter group rewarded sharp pattern recognition.

For strategy enthusiasts, experts recommend scanning for obvious clusters first — proper nouns, strong verbs or themed sets — before tackling tougher overlaps. Starting with medical or profession words often leads players astray, as seen with the DOCTOR/NURSE/SURGEON trap today.

The New York Times has steadily expanded its Games section, turning what began as simple experiments into a robust daily engagement platform. Connections stands out for its social sharing features, allowing players to post colored grids without spoilers. This communal aspect has helped build dedicated online communities on Reddit, Discord and X.

Players who struggled today can take comfort in knowing even top solvers occasionally lose lives on purple categories. Tomorrow's puzzle resets at midnight, promising fresh challenges and new opportunities for perfect games.

As remote work and digital routines dominate modern life, quick games like Connections provide satisfying cognitive resets. Whether solved over morning coffee, during lunch breaks or as a family activity, the game fosters both individual accomplishment and shared conversation.

For those chasing streaks, consistency remains key. Many players maintain impressive runs by developing personal solving rituals — scanning categories systematically or tackling purple last. Monday's solution rewarded both literary knowledge and creative thinking.

The puzzle's difficulty curve keeps engagement high. Easier yellow and green groups build confidence, while blue and purple provide satisfying "aha" moments. Today's mix struck an effective balance, generating widespread discussion without alienating casual players.

Looking forward, The New York Times continues refining the game based on player feedback while preserving its core charm. Future puzzles are expected to maintain variety across themes ranging from pop culture and history to science, food and wordplay.

Whether you nailed all four categories in style or needed every attempt, today's Connections delivered the familiar blend of frustration, insight and triumph that keeps millions returning daily. In an era of endless digital distraction, this humble word game continues carving out its own special place in morning routines worldwide.

Read more