Connections Hint
Puzzle #1094 · June 9, 2026

NYT Connections Hints for June 9, 2026

Start with the spoiler-free hints. Go deeper only when you need to. Reveal answers on your own terms.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Get the hintsSpoiler-free · three levels ↓ Skip to answersJust give me the solution →
Today’s 16 Puzzle Words
Tap any word to see how it’s used in this puzzle
AXEEXPONENTBONEBABESPOILERSECRETANGELDOVEASTERISKLAMBSURPRISETRADEMARKPASSWORDSKINSKEYSDEGREE

Spoiler-Free Hints

Three levels — warmer as you read down
i Ultra safe

A direction for each group — no names given.

  • They evoke images of peace, tenderness, and new beginnings.
  • Things that are meant to be kept under wraps.
  • Look up — these often appear as tiny marks above the text.
  • These words have a secret identity — they belong to a completely different realm.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • These are archetypes of gentleness in literature and faith.
  • In the world of information security, these are the things you guard.
  • In typography, these symbols are often found hovering above the baseline.
  • You'll need to tap into the slang used by performers on stage.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • All four are symbolic representations of purity and innocence.
  • These are all types of information that people prefer to keep confidential.
  • These terms are often shown as superscript characters in print, science, and law.
  • Each is a slang term for a different musical instrument.

Today’s Trap Words

The words engineered to mislead

Every Connections board plants a few decoys. Here are today’s, and why they pull you the wrong way.

BONE

May appear to be a body part, tempting solvers to group it with similar anatomical words.

SKINS

Also resembles a body-related term, potentially reinforcing a false 'body parts' category with BONE.

LAMB

Could be seen as an animal, luring solvers into a non-existent 'animals' group alongside DOVE.

KEYS

Commonly used for locks or keyboards, its musical identity as a slang term is easy to overlook.

Connections Answers — June 9, 2026

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
SYMBOLS OF INNOCENCE
ANGEL · DOVE · LAMB · BABE
Tap to reveal
THINGS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO REVEAL
SURPRISE · SECRET · PASSWORD · SPOILER
Tap to reveal
THINGS REPRESENTED IN SUPERSCRIPT
ASTERISK · TRADEMARK · DEGREE · EXPONENT
Tap to reveal
SLANG FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
AXE · BONE · KEYS · SKINS
Tap to reveal

Category Breakdown — Puzzle #1094

Why each group works — not just what it is

SYMBOLS OF INNOCENCE

These four words are classic emblems of purity and gentleness, often appearing in art, religion, and literature. The inclusion of BABE may surprise some, but it shares the same connotation of untainted newness.

THINGS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO REVEAL

All relate to confidentiality and the thrill of keeping quiet. SPOILER adds a modern twist, connecting movie culture to the broader theme of secrecy.

THINGS REPRESENTED IN SUPERSCRIPT

These terms are frequently rendered as tiny characters above the text line in scientific, typographic, or legal contexts. TRADEMARK and EXPONENT push beyond everyday punctuation into specialized notation.

SLANG FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

A playful set of musician nicknames: AXE for guitar, BONE for trombone, KEYS for piano, and SKINS for drums. The double meanings create delightful misdirection.

Word Guide — All 16 Puzzle Words

What each word means in this puzzle
AXE
A tool for chopping wood; in music slang, it's a guitar.
EXPONENT
A mathematical notation indicating repeated multiplication, written as a superscript number.
BONE
A hard part of the skeleton; informally, a trombone.
BABE
A term for a baby or innocent child, symbolizing new life and guilelessness.
SPOILER
A detail that reveals a key plot twist, often protected to preserve surprise.
SECRET
Information that is kept hidden or confidential from others.
ANGEL
A celestial being often depicted with wings and a halo, representing purity.
DOVE
A bird associated with peace and gentleness, frequently used in religious imagery.
ASTERISK
A star-shaped symbol (*) used to denote footnotes or special notations.
LAMB
A young sheep, emblematic of meekness and sacrifice in many cultural traditions.
SURPRISE
An unexpected event or piece of information, often kept under wraps before revelation.
TRADEMARK
A symbol (™) used to indicate legal ownership of a brand or product.
PASSWORD
A secret string of characters used to authenticate a user's identity.
SKINS
Animal hides used for leather; in drummer lingo, it means drum heads.
KEYS
Objects for unlocking doors or typing; also slang for a piano.
DEGREE
A measurement of angles or temperature, often written with a small raised circle.

Puzzle Design Analysis

Why the editor constructed it this way

Wyna Liu builds a classic ascending puzzle, with innocence symbols yielding to secrets, then superscript, before a late-stage musical reveal. The false-body-parts trap with BONE and SKINS is a highlight, exploiting our anatomical expectations. The superscript group cleverly blends typography, science, and law, creating a subtle but fair challenge. This puzzle rewards both pop-culture awareness and linguistic flexibility.

Difficulty & Analysis

How tough today’s board really plays
Overall
6.2/10
Most deceptive
BONE

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
Instrument Slang

requires lateral thinking

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