Need a nudge before the answers? The May 1, 2025, NYT Connections puzzle is game #690. Start with the graduated hints below, then reveal the four groups and the complete 16-word board if you want the solution.
Hints for Connections #690
Try each clue before moving to the answer key. The clues go from broad to more revealing.
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- Yellow: What you get for being champ.
- Green: Cut it out.
- Blue: Film-making.
- Purple: Miniature versions.
Answers for Thursday, May 1
The four groups are WINNINGS, STOP, AS A HABIT, MOVIE CAMERA VERBS, and words that come before -size to mean small.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | WINNINGS | POT, PRIZE, PURSE, REWARD |
| Green | STOP, AS A HABIT | BREAK, DROP, KICK, SHAKE |
| Blue | MOVIE CAMERA VERBS | DOLLY, PAN, TILT, ZOOM |
| Purple | Words before “-size” to mean small | BITE, FUN, POCKET, TRAVEL |
Why the groups can be tricky
Green: several ways to quit
BREAK, DROP, KICK, and SHAKE can all complete the idea of stopping a habit: break, drop, kick, or shake a habit. The overlap with other action-like words can make this group less obvious at first.
Blue: camera movement
DOLLY, PAN, TILT, and ZOOM are verbs used for camera movements or adjustments in filmmaking. DOLLY is the less everyday-looking member of the set, while PAN, TILT, and ZOOM may initially seem like a natural trio.
Purple: familiar “-size” compounds
BITE, FUN, POCKET, and TRAVEL form bite-size, fun-size, pocket-size, and travel-size. In this puzzle, those compounds point to small or compact versions.
Rank #2
How difficult was this puzzle?
Tom’s Guide rated the puzzle 4.5 out of 5 for difficulty and reported a 51% solve rate in its 2025 coverage. Those are Tom’s Guide’s reported figures, not official NYT statistics. The same report said 31% of players in the bot data it cited made the mistaken group SHAKE, BREAK, BITE, and KICK—an understandable trap because three of those words belong in the green group.
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Full 16-word board
POCKET, SHAKE, PURSE, PAN, POT, DOLLY, FUN, PRIZE, TRAVEL, BREAK, BITE, KICK, ZOOM, DROP, REWARD, TILT.
Connections asks players to sort 16 words into four groups of four. TechRadar’s guide says players can make up to four mistakes and play through NYT Games on desktop or mobile. This puzzle’s answer key was published by TechRadar on April 30, 2025, for the May 1 game.
Quick Recap
Sources
- TechRadar: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, May 1 (game #690)
- Forbes: NYT Connections Hints And Answers For Thursday, May 1
- ComingSoon: Connections Help, Hints & Clues for Today, May 1
- Tom’s Guide: The 10 toughest NYT Connections of 2025
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