Connections Hint
No. 1081 · Hints & Analysis

Connections Hint — May 27, 2026

Start with the spoiler-free clues. Reveal the answers only when you've truly given up.

Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Get the hintsSpoiler-free, three levels ↓ Skip to answersJust give me the solution →
I.

Spoiler-Free Hints

Three levels — warmer as you read down
i Ultra safe

A direction for each group — no names given.

  • These words suggest a cozy, local sense of place.
  • Think of pastimes that involve a board and some luck.
  • These words share a hidden sound connection, not their meaning.
  • Each word ends the same way, evoking classic characters.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • These are types of settlements, from tiny to larger organized areas.
  • These are well-known pastimes that often come in a box with pieces.
  • The connection is about sounds that resemble other words, not spelling.
  • The link is in the final letters, forming the names of famous fictional siblings.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • Each word names a small, organized group of people living together.
  • All four are classic, family-friendly games with simple rules.
  • Each word is a homophone of a verb meaning to look or gaze.
  • Each word ends with the name of a beloved character from a classic novel.
II.

Today's Traps

The words engineered to mislead

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

COMMUNE

Sounds like a verb meaning to share thoughts, but here it's a noun for a small intentional community.

OPERATION

Could be mistaken for a medical term or a business process, but here it is a board game where you remove patient body parts.

AYE

Looks like a nautical or voting term, but its sound links to a way of looking.

III.

The Answers

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
SMALL COMMUNITY
HAMLET · COMMUNE · TOWNSHIP · VILLAGE
Tap to reveal
CLASSIC BOARD GAMES
OTHELLO · OPERATION · TROUBLE · BATTLESHIP
Tap to reveal
HOMOPHONES OF WAYS OF LOOKING
AYE · PIER · LEAR · STAIR
Tap to reveal
ENDING IN THE "LITTLE WOMEN" MARCH SISTERS
BANJO · NUTMEG · MACBETH · MONOGAMY
Tap to reveal
IV.

Category Breakdown

Why each group works — not just what it is
SMALL COMMUNITY

Words that refer to small, organized human settlements: commune, hamlet, township, and village.

CLASSIC BOARD GAMES

Well-known tabletop games that have been popular for decades: Battleship, Operation, Othello, and Trouble.

HOMOPHONES OF WAYS OF LOOKING

Each word sounds like a verb related to sight: AYE (eye), LEAR (leer), PIER (peer), and STAIR (stare).

ENDING IN THE "LITTLE WOMEN" MARCH SISTERS

Every word contains, as consecutive letters, the name of one of the four March sisters from Little Women: BANJO (JO), MACBETH (BETH), MONOGAMY (AMY), and NUTMEG (MEG).

V.

Difficulty & Analysis

How tough today's board really plays
Overall
6.5/10
Most deceptive
AYE

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
ENDING IN THE "LITTLE WOMEN" MARCH SISTERS

requires lateral thinking

VI.

More Puzzles