Connections Hint
No. 1062 · Hints & Analysis

Connections Hint — May 8, 2026

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

Friday, May 8, 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.

  • All about sharing an intimate moment — but the phrasing varies widely.
  • These items all have a distinctive, pointed shape in common.
  • These words often complete a phrase that signals surprise.
  • Look closely at the tail end of these — something's missing.
ii Warmer

What kind of thinking each group asks for.

  • You'll need to think in terms of romantic bases and other slang for affection.
  • Consider how many sides each of these everyday objects has.
  • These are idiomatic expressions all beginning with the same two words.
  • A well-known candy brand is hidden in each, but with a very common letter absent.
iii Mild spoilers

Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.

  • All four are colloquial terms for kissing and making out, from mild to wild.
  • Each is a real-world object that is shaped like a pentagon.
  • Each word follows 'out of' to create an idiom meaning suddenly or without warning.
  • Every entry ends with a candy brand name that has had its final S dropped.
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.

FIRST BASE

A baseball term that could group with HOME PLATE, LEFT FIELD, and PITCHER'S MOUND to form a 'baseball' category, but they're actually scattered across all four groups.

HOME PLATE

Looks like it belongs with other baseball words, but it's actually part of the five-sided things group.

LEFT FIELD

Another baseball term, but here it completes the idiom 'out of left field' meaning unexpectedly.

PITCHER'S MOUND

Baseball again, but it's hiding a candy brand in its ending.

III.

The Answers

Tap any group to reveal it
Answers are hidden — tap a group to peek, or reveal all at once.
CANOODLING
FIRST BASE · MAKING OUT · TONSIL HOCKEY · NECKING
Tap to reveal
FIVE-SIDED THINGS
SCHOOL CROSSING SIGN · HOME PLATE · THE PENTAGON · JEANS BACK POCKET
Tap to reveal
UNEXPECTED PLACES TO BE "OUT OF"
LEFT FIELD · NOWHERE · THE BLUE · THIN AIR
Tap to reveal
ENDING IN CANDY BRANDS MINUS "S"
MEMENTO · PITCHER'S MOUND · FILM NERD · BURGER KING WHOPPER
Tap to reveal
IV.

Category Breakdown

Why each group works — not just what it is
CANOODLING

These are all terms for kissing and making out, ranging from the euphemistic 'first base' to the vivid 'tonsil hockey'. The group cleverly spans generations of slang.

FIVE-SIDED THINGS

Each of these items is shaped like a pentagon: home plate on a baseball diamond, the back pocket of jeans, a school crossing sign, and the Pentagon building itself. It's a satisfying geometric coincidence.

UNEXPECTED PLACES TO BE "OUT OF"

All four complete the phrase 'out of ___' to form an idiom for something surprising or unexplained. 'Out of left field', 'out of nowhere', 'out of the blue', and 'out of thin air' each express suddenness.

ENDING IN CANDY BRANDS MINUS "S"

Each phrase ends with the name of a well-known candy brand after its 'S' is dropped: WHOPPER (from Whoppers), NERD (from Nerds), MENTO (from Mentos), and MOUND (from Mounds). It's a wordplay treat for the observant.

V.

Difficulty & Analysis

How tough today's board really plays
Overall
7.5/10
Most deceptive
FIRST BASE

a textbook decoy

Hardest group
Candy Brands Minus S

requires lateral thinking

VI.

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