Connections · Hints and answers

Connections #1,072 hints and answers for Monday, May 18, 2026

Edited by Wyna Liu · Groups listed easiest to hardest: yellow, green, blue, purple

Connections #1,072 puts four groups of four on the board, running from the yellow group through to purple. For each group below: read the hint first, then show the category name when you want it, then the four words.

Group 1 - Yellow

Hint: All four words start with the letter P - the real link runs deeper than that, but it is a place to start.

HOMOPHONES

PAIR · PARE · PEAR · PÈRE

Group 2 - Green

Hint: Four words, one thread. Say each of the four out loud - the link is usually plainer than it looks.

RUPTURE

BLOW · CRACK · POP · SPLIT

Group 3 - Blue

Hint: One thread ties these four together. It is a fair link, not a trick - think about what the words can all be or do.

MLB PLAYER

PADRE · RED · ROYAL · TWIN

Group 4 - Purple

Hint: These four belong together for one clean reason. If two of them pair up in your head first, let the other two confirm it.

FRUIT ANAGRAMS

CHEAP · EARP · LUMP · WIKI

Next on the board

Strands →

Theme clue: "The daily rind"