NYT Connections Hints and Answers for May 9, #698
The New York Times Connections puzzle for May 9 (#698) presents a classic mix of logic and language, with categories that range from visual media to basic math. If one group evokes memories of elementary school equations, you’re not alone—this puzzle blends the nostalgic with the abstract in clever ways.
What’s New in NYT Connections
Players can now interact with the Connections Bot, a feature modeled after the popular Wordle Bot.
- Registered Times Games users can track stats like puzzles completed, win rate, and streaks.
- The bot also provides a numeric score and analytical breakdown of your play, offering deeper insight into your performance.
This added layer turns the daily puzzle into more than just a game—it becomes a way to measure growth and strategy.
Hints for Today’s Connection Categories
To warm up your thinking, here are the four grouping hints, organized by increasing difficulty:
- Yellow group hint: Adjust the picture.
Suggests modifications you can make to a television display. - Green group hint: Starting to fade.
Describes things that are becoming less distinct or clear. - Blue group hint: Do the math.
Points to terms commonly associated with basic arithmetic operations. - Purple group hint: Not on the door, but…
Leads you toward features found on windows rather than doors.
Each hint offers a general direction without spoiling the solution, perfect for those who want a little nudge.
Answers for Today’s Connections Puzzle
Here’s how today’s words group together, sorted by color-coded difficulty:
- Yellow Group – TV Display Settings
Answers: Brightness, Color, Contrast, Tint- All these terms relate to adjusting how an image appears on a screen, particularly TVs and monitors.
- Green Group – Fuzzy, As a Memory
Answers: Dim, Faint, Remote, Vague- These words describe something unclear or hard to recall, often used metaphorically to describe faded memories.
- Blue Group – Results of Some Arithmetic
Answers: Difference, Product, Quotient, Sum- These are the outcomes of subtraction, multiplication, division, and addition, respectively.
- Purple Group – Window Treatments in the Singular
Answers: Blind, Drape, Shade, Shutter- Unlike door fixtures, these are all coverings typically used on windows, each serving both functional and decorative purposes.
Memorable Past Puzzle Themes
Some of the trickiest Connections puzzles challenge pattern recognition beyond obvious categories:
- “Things you can set” (e.g., mood, record, table, volleyball)
- These words span both literal and idiomatic meanings of “set.”
- “One in a dozen” (e.g., egg, juror, month, rose)
- Each item fits neatly into a group of twelve, though not all are numerical.
- “Power ___” (e.g., nap, plant, Ranger, trip)
- A great example of a prefix-based theme, challenging players to think of compound word structures.
These difficult sets reward players who can think flexibly across meanings, not just categories.
