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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteNYT Connections puzzle #705 was published for Friday, May 16, 2025. If you want to keep solving, use the graduated hints below before opening the complete groups and answers.
Hints for Connections #705
Try these clues in order. Stop when you have enough to find the groups yourself.
- One group contains four types of plants.
- In another group, each word can describe bringing something to an end.
- Think of four different meanings or contexts for “bulls.”
- The trickiest group shares a word at the end of each entry: each is a building material.
Today’s Connections words
The 16 entries in the grid were:
RODEO, HOURGLASS, KUBRICK, SUNSET, TREE, SCRAP, WALL STREET, VINE, MICHAEL JORDAN, HOLLYWOOD, HERB, TAURUS, END, SHRUB, NEUROPLASTIC, DISSOLVE.
Full solution for May 16
Spoiler warning: The groups and their answers are below.
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#1 Best Overall
- Unravel a Cold War conspiracy in Vienna Connection, a standalone spy thriller inspired by Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game.
- Step into the shoes of CIA agents as you investigate the mysterious murder of an American citizen in 1977 Vienna, uncovering secrets across Europe.
- Navigate a world of espionage by managing resources like informants and bribes while decoding secret messages, wiretaps, and classified reports.
- Outsmart enemy spy agencies in a tense, narrative-driven game where every choice shapes the outcome of your mission.
- Immerse yourself in a deep and strategic espionage experience, where deception, deduction, and covert operations are the keys to success.
Yellow: Kinds of plants
HERB, SHRUB, TREE, VINE
Green: Discontinue
DISSOLVE, END, SCRAP, SUNSET
Blue: Associated with bulls
MICHAEL JORDAN, RODEO, TAURUS, WALL STREET
The connections span different contexts: Michael Jordan is associated with the Chicago Bulls; rodeo involves bulls; Taurus is the bull sign of the zodiac; and “bull” is associated with rising markets on Wall Street.
Purple: Ending with building materials
HOLLYWOOD, HOURGLASS, KUBRICK, NEUROPLASTIC
Each entry ends with a building material: HOLLYWOOD ends in wood, HOURGLASS in glass, KUBRICK in brick, and NEUROPLASTIC in plastic.
Why the purple group is easy to miss
The entries look like unrelated names and terms until you read their endings as separate words. Spotting WOOD, GLASS, BRICK, and PLASTIC reveals the shared construction-material pattern.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.About the puzzle
Connections asks players to sort 16 items into four groups of four based on a shared connection. TechRadar describes the game as having four difficulty colors and being playable through NYT Games on desktop or mobile. The May 16 solution and date are independently reported by TechRadar, in a guide published May 15, and Parade, in a guide published May 16; the different guide dates reflect publication timing, not a different puzzle date.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- VIBRANT COLOR GAME: Challenge friends and family to connect words with colors in the engaging Hues and Cues, featuring 480 colorful hues for limitless fun!
- FUN FOR ALL AGES: Perfect for family game nights, parties, or casual play, this game brings players of all ages together with simple rules and exciting gameplay.
- UNIQUE EXPERIENCE: No two rounds are the same! Hues and Cues provides a new and unique experience with each playthrough, keeping the fun fresh and engaging.
- CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE: Use just one or two word clues to guide others to the right hue, sparking creative thinking and fostering fun team interaction.
- QUICK TO LEARN: Hues and Cues offers fast-paced action with easy rules, making it enjoyable for both casual players, and gaming enthusiasts.
Rank #4
- EXPLORE THE ISLAND OF CATAN: Settle the uninhabited island of Catan by gathering resources, building infrastructure, and nurturing trade relationships.
- STRATEGY AND COMPETITION: Compete with 2-3 opponents to expand your settlements and cities while managing resources and avoiding the robber.
- TRADE, BUILD, AND SETTLE: Use brick, wood, wheat, ore, and sheep to construct roads, settlements, and cities in your race to 10 victory points.
- REPLAYABLE AND ENGAGING: With a modular hexagonal board, no two games are the same, offering endless strategic opportunities and replayability.
- FOR FAMILIES AND STRATEGY ENTHUSIASTS: Designed for 3-4 players, ages 10 and up, CATAN 6th Edition is perfect for family game nights and friendly competition. Add the CATAN 5-6 Player Extension (sold separately) to expand your game to 5-6 players.
Rank #3
- Two teams race to identify their agents from a 5×5 grid, guided by a spymaster who knows each card’s identity
- Spymasters give one-word clues and a number to link multiple cards, encouraging creative thinking
- Teammates guess words matching the clue while avoiding the other team’s agents, bystanders, and the assassin
- Revealing the assassin ends the game instantly, adding high-stakes tension
- Teams may guess up to the clue number plus one, allowing strategic risks or revisiting old clues
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