NYT Connections hints and answers for today (May 30, 2025)

NYT Connections is back with another puzzle. If you are scratching your head trying to figure out today’s NYT Connections puzzle, you are not alone. The popular New York Times word game has become a daily ritual for fans of quick-thinking and pattern-spotting. Today’s challenge for 30 May 2025 comes with its own twists, but worry not – we have gathered all the clues, solutions and explanations you need to solve it. Whether you are a first-time player or on a winning streak, this guide will walk you through how to play, hints for today’s groups, the correct answers and their connections.

What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle game offered by The New York Times . It presents players with a 4x4 grid of 16 seemingly unrelated words. The goal is to organise them into four groups of four words that are connected by a common theme or idea. These themes can range from synonyms and item categories to clever wordplay and pop culture references. The game tests not just vocabulary, but lateral thinking as well.

How to play NYT Connections
Playing Connections is simple but tricky. You start with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to group the words into four sets of four that share a common link. These links can be literal, metaphorical, or based on word associations. Once you select a group of four words, hit the 'Submit' button. If correct, that group is removed from the board. You only get four chances to make mistakes, so choose wisely. The four categories are colour-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest).

Hints for today’s NYT Connections (30 May)
To help you solve today’s puzzle, here are the theme hints for each of the four groups:

• Yellow group – These are all types of rods
• Green group – Items that usually come in rolls
• Blue group – Items commonly handed out as promotional freebies
• Purple group – Words that can come before “shack” in popular phrases or names

Answers for today’s Connections (30 May)
Yellow group – Rods: BAT, CLUB, STAFF, STICK

Green group – They’re on a roll!: FOIL, RIBBON, TAPE, TOILET PAPER

Blue group – Common swag items: HAT, TEE, TOTE, WATER BOTTLE

Purple group – Words before "shack": CADDY, LOVE, RADIO, SHAKE


Explanation of today’s answers
The yellow group contains items that are types of rods or handheld sticks, such as a bat for baseball or a staff often used in hiking or fantasy tales.

The green group are all objects that are typically rolled up. Toilet paper, foil, ribbon, and tape are all stored and dispensed from rolls, making the connection logical and physical.

The blue group includes popular promotional items. If you've attended any conference or corporate event, you’ve likely come home with a hat, tee, tote bag, or water bottle emblazoned with a company logo.

The purple group is a fun wordplay category. Each word can be paired with “shack” to form a well-known term or brand: Caddyshack (film), Love Shack (song by The B-52’s), RadioShack (retail chain), and Shake Shack (restaurant chain).

Today’s puzzle was a satisfying mix of straightforward connections and clever wordplay. The trickiest part was arguably the purple group, but once “Radio” and “Shake” were spotted, the pattern clicked into place. Whether you solved it quickly or needed some nudges, remember each day brings a new challenge. Come back tomorrow for another round of mental gymnastics. Happy Connection!