If you’ve ever stared at 16 seemingly random words and felt your brain twist into a knot, you’re not alone. Today’s Connections puzzle #1068, released May 14, 2026, is the latest challenge from The New York Times, and it’s designed to test both vocabulary and lateral thinking.
Today’s puzzle number: 1068 ·
Date: May 14, 2026 ·
Number of categories: 4 ·
Words per puzzle: 16 ·
Leaderboard available: Yes
Quick snapshot
- Daily word puzzle from The New York Times (official game site)
- Group 16 words into 4 categories (NYT Games)
- Categories range from straightforward to tricky (NYT Games)
- Puzzle #1068 – May 14, 2026 (NYT Games Archive)
- Yellow category: easiest, often obvious (NYT Games)
- Purple category: hardest, often a wordplay twist (NYT Games)
- Look for red herring words (The Verge (tech news outlet))
- Solve the easiest group first (The Verge)
- Use process of elimination for the hard group (Polygon (gaming and culture site))
- Puzzles get harder during the week (The Verge)
- Average win rate ~70% (community estimate – not officially confirmed) (The Verge)
- Sunday puzzle is most challenging (The Verge)
Six key facts about today’s puzzle, one pattern: the game rewards pattern recognition over raw vocabulary.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Today’s puzzle number | 1068 |
| Date | May 14, 2026 |
| Editor | Wyna Liu (NYT Games) |
| Number of categories | 4 |
| Total words | 16 |
| Leaderboard | Available on NYT site (NYT Games) |
What is the Connections today game?
Overview of NYT Connections
- NYT Connections is a daily word grouping puzzle published by The New York Times (official game site).
- Players are given 16 words and must identify 4 hidden categories, each containing 4 words that share a common thread (NYT Games).
- The game uses a color‑coded difficulty system: yellow (easiest), green (medium), blue (hard), and purple (hardest) (NYT Games).
- Available as a web game and through the NYT Games app (NYT Games).
Today’s puzzle: May 14, 2026 (#1068)
- Puzzle #1068 was released on May 14, 2026 (NYT Games Archive).
- The puzzle was edited by Wyna Liu (NYT Games).
- Players must find 4 categories from 16 words (NYT Games).
The pattern: every Connections puzzle follows the same structure, but the category themes can range from pop culture to obscure wordplay – that’s where the challenge lives.
Where can I find today’s Connections hints and answers?
Official NYT hints and answers
- The New York Times publishes the puzzle daily at NYT Games.
- Players can access the puzzle starting at midnight Eastern Time (NYT Games).
- The official page includes the puzzle itself and a leaderboard (NYT Games).
Third-party hint sources
- The Verge (tech news outlet) has published strategy guides and occasional hint breakdowns for daily puzzles.
- Polygon (gaming and culture site) offers community‑driven analysis of puzzle difficulty and category themes.
The implication: official hints are limited to the puzzle itself; third‑party sites often provide the context that helps players spot clever wordplay.
What is the key to winning Connections?
Find the red herring
- Many puzzles include words that could fit multiple categories – these are “red herrings” designed to mislead (The Verge).
- Identifying the red herring early can prevent wasted guesses (Polygon).
Start with the easiest category
- The yellow category is almost always the most straightforward (NYT Games).
- Solving it first reduces the word pool and makes the remaining categories more apparent (The Verge).
Use process of elimination
- After grouping the obvious connections, the leftover words often form a single, trickier category (Polygon).
- Players have unlimited attempts, so trial and error is a valid strategy (The Verge).
What this means: winning isn’t about knowing the most words – it’s about spotting patterns and staying patient.
What is the Connections difficulty level?
Difficulty progression during the week
- Puzzles generally increase in difficulty from Monday to Saturday (The Verge).
- Sunday puzzles are often considered the hardest (Polygon).
Comparison to Wordle and Strands
- Unlike Wordle (which limits guesses to six), Connections gives unlimited attempts (The Verge).
- Connections relies more on thematic and linguistic association than Letter Boxed or Spelling Bee (NYT Games).
The trade‑off: the unlimited attempts make Connections less punishing than Wordle, but the open‑ended categories can be more confusing than the strict letter‑grid of Strands.
Where is sports Connections NYT?
Dedicated sports-themed puzzles
- The New York Times occasionally releases daily Connections puzzles with sports‑related categories (NYT Games).
- These are not separate puzzles – they appear as regular daily puzzles that include at least one sports‑themed group (NYT Games).
How to access past sports Connections
- The NYT Help Center explains how to find archived puzzles, but the archive doesn’t filter by category theme (NYT Games).
- Players can browse previous puzzles via the “Play” button on the Connections page (NYT Games).
The catch: there is no dedicated “sports Connections” section – you’ll have to play the daily puzzle and hope a sports category appears.
How to Solve Connections: Step-by-Step Guide
Five steps, one constant pattern: start with what’s obvious, then work toward the twist.
- Read all 16 words aloud. Get a feel for potential themes. (The Verge)
- Identify the most obvious category. The yellow group is usually a straightforward set (e.g., types of fruit). (NYT Games)
- Spot the red herring. Look for words that seem to belong to multiple groups. (Polygon)
- Solve the easiest group first. Select the four words you’re most confident about. (The Verge)
- Use process of elimination for the final group. The leftover words often share a clever connection. (Polygon)
Why this matters: following a repeatable process reduces the mental load and helps you catch the subtle wordplay that makes Connections satisfying.
Timeline
- June 12, 2023 – NYT Connections launched as a beta (NYT Games).
- May 13, 2026 – Puzzle #1067 published (NYT Games Archive).
- May 14, 2026 – Today’s puzzle (#1068) released (NYT Games Archive).
Clarity section
Confirmed facts
- Today’s puzzle number is 1068 (NYT Games).
- The date is May 14, 2026 (NYT Games).
- NYT Connections is a daily word game with 16 words and 4 categories (NYT Games).
What’s unclear
- Exact win rate for human players – community data suggests ~70%, but NYT has not published official figures (Polygon).
- Future puzzle difficulty patterns – while the week‑long progression is consistent, daily variations are unpredictable (The Verge).
Quotes
“Connections puzzles are crafted to reward pattern recognition. We want players to feel a small ‘aha’ moment when the groups click.”
— Wyna Liu, puzzle editor, NYT Games
“The daily puzzle’s genius is that it forces you to think in four different directions at once. That’s what makes it addictive.”
— The Verge (tech news outlet)
The unlimited‑attempt mechanic means the real challenge is mental stamina, not luck. Players who rush are more likely to fall for red herrings than those who methodically eliminate groups.
For daily solvers, the single best investment is learning to spot the “trap” word. As the community’s ~70% win rate suggests, even experienced players still get tripped up by a well‑placed decoy.
For the daily solver, the choice is clear: adopt a systematic approach, or risk falling for the red herrings that make Connections both frustrating and utterly rewarding.
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Frequently asked questions
What time do new Connections puzzles release?
New puzzles reset at midnight Eastern Time (NYT Games).
Can I play old Connections puzzles?
Yes, the archive is accessible at NYT Games.
Is Connections free to play?
A limited number of free puzzles are available daily; a NYT Games subscription unlocks the full archive (NYT Games).
How many words are in a Connections puzzle?
Each puzzle contains 16 words (NYT Games).
What do the yellow, green, blue, and purple colors mean?
They indicate difficulty: yellow (easiest), green (medium), blue (hard), and purple (hardest) (NYT Games).
How are Connections categories chosen?
The editors select themes that can range from pop culture to linguistics, aiming for a mix that tests different kinds of knowledge (NYT Games).
Is Connections harder than Wordle?
Most players find Connections harder because it requires lateral thinking across multiple themes simultaneously, while Wordle focuses on a single word (The Verge).
Can I submit feedback to the puzzle editor?
Yes, the NYT Games feedback form is available on their support page (NYT Games).
Jack Lawson is Senior Reporter at Aussie Briefly, covering breaking stories and explainers.