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Spoiler-safeMay 22, 2026Puzzle #1076

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for May 22, 2026

Connections puzzle #1076 for May 22, 2026 mixes communication phrases, social practices, conveyor-belt locations, and words beginning with name homophones.

Guide editorJordan EllisEditor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Getting Back in ContactEasiest
Established PracticesModerate
Belt-Driven LocationsModerate
Names Heard at the StartHardest

Need more than a hint?

Get a spoiler-safe solving plan

Use three general checks to make progress without seeing a category or answer.

Open today’s solving plan
  1. Prefer an exact rule.A shared topic is only a lead. Look for four words connected in the same precise way.
  2. Find the least flexible word.Use the word with the narrowest meaning to place words that could belong in several groups.
  3. Test the grammar.If the leftovers look unrelated, try placing one common word before or after each answer.

Reveal guide

Choose only as much help as you need

Every group has its own ladder. Opening one level never exposes another group.

  1. 1
    Start with a small hint

    Get a gentle nudge without seeing the category or its words.

  2. 2
    Ask for a stronger hint

    Use a more specific clue before revealing the category.

  3. 3
    Reveal only what you choose

    Open the category, then the four words only when you are ready.

You remain in control. You can move between levels without revealing the rest of the puzzle.

Practice board guide

Try a group without risking your streak

This scratchpad checks your thinking locally. It never sends a guess to the official puzzle.

  1. 1
    Choose four words

    Tap any four tiles that share one precise connection.

  2. 2
    Check the set

    Once four are selected, press “Check these four.”

  3. 3
    Keep it or adjust

    A correct group is confirmed. If it misses, swap one word or open a hint.

Nothing here affects an official streak. Clear the board at any time and try another four.

Today’s puzzle explained

Connections #1076 Overview

The strongest traps cross category boundaries: CHECK IN can evoke travel, CHECKOUT LANE can echo CHECK IN, and CUSTOM may appear related to TAILOR-MADE. The final group depends on hearing the opening sounds as names rather than interpreting each full expression literally.

Overall difficultyModerate, with several plausible overlaps among workplace phrases and compound expressions.Biggest trapCHECK IN and CHECKOUT LANE invite a retail pairing, while CARRY-ON and BAGGAGE CLAIM suggest air travel. CUSTOM can also misdirect toward TAILOR-MADE.Best first moveStart with the four phrases that describe contacting someone again: CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT, and TOUCH BASE.

Why the board is deceptive

The cleanest opening group consists of four familiar ways to resume communication with someone.

The remaining board rewards separating established practices from locations and sound-based wordplay.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Tackle the renewed-contact set first, then isolate the four conveyor-belt-related locations. Next, group together the social-practice terms, and leave the name-homophone wordplay for last.

Spoilers below

Today’s groups and answers

Each group stays hidden until you choose to open it. Reveal one at a time, or keep this section closed while you continue solving.

Getting Back in ContactReveal this group

What connects CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT and TOUCH BASE?

CHECK IN · FOLLOW UP · RECONNECT · TOUCH BASE

REACH BACK OUT. Each phrase can describe contacting someone again after an earlier conversation, meeting, or period without communication.

Best anchor: ways to resume contact

Established PracticesReveal this group

What connects CONVENTION, CUSTOM, SOCIAL NORM and UNWRITTEN RULE?

CONVENTION · CUSTOM · SOCIAL NORM · UNWRITTEN RULE

THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE. All four terms describe accepted practices or expectations that shape how people ordinarily behave or proceed.

Best anchor: accepted ways of doing things

Belt-Driven LocationsReveal this group

What connects ASSEMBLY LINE, BAGGAGE CLAIM, CHECKOUT LANE and REVOLVING SUSHI BAR?

ASSEMBLY LINE · BAGGAGE CLAIM · CHECKOUT LANE · REVOLVING SUSHI BAR

PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTS. Each place or setting commonly uses a conveyor belt to move products, luggage, purchases, or plates of food.

Best anchor: settings that use conveyor belts

Names Heard at the StartReveal this group

What connects CARRY-ON, EL NIÑO, LOOSEY-GOOSEY and TAILOR-MADE?

CARRY-ON · EL NIÑO · LOOSEY-GOOSEY · TAILOR-MADE

STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONES. Each of the expressions begins in a sound that matches a name: CARRY/CARRIE, EL/ELLE, LOOSEY/LUCY, and TAILOR/TAYLOR.

Best anchor: phrases beginning with name homophones

How to solve this Connections puzzle

The thinking route, not just the answers

Use today’s anchor words as a repeatable method: secure an exact group, remove it, and let the remaining board become more specific.

  1. 1
    REACH BACK OUT

    ways to resume contact

  2. 2
    THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE

    accepted ways of doing things

  3. 3
    PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTS

    settings that use conveyor belts

  4. 4
    STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONES

    phrases beginning with name homophones

Mental model to reuse tomorrow

Exact relationship beats shared topic

Weak rule“These words feel related.”A broad topic can support several tempting but unstable groups.

Strong rule“The same test works for all four.”One precise relationship should explain every answer in the same way.

Today’s best first move: Start with the four phrases that describe contacting someone again: CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT, and TOUCH BASE..

Build your solving vocabulary

Four anchors worth spotting

An anchor is the least flexible word in a possible group. It often exposes the intended relationship before the more ambiguous words do.

Easiest groupGetting Back in Contact
REACH BACK OUT: ways to resume contact
Moderate groupEstablished Practices
THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE: accepted ways of doing things
Moderate groupBelt-Driven Locations
PLACES WITH CONVEYOR BELTS: settings that use conveyor belts
Hardest groupNames Heard at the Start
STARTING WITH NAME HOMOPHONES: phrases beginning with name homophones

Questions players ask

Connections help without extra spoilers

I’m stuck. Which hint should I open first?

Start with the small hint for the group you feel closest to solving. Use the stronger hint only if the first nudge is not enough, then reveal the category or four words when you want confirmation.

What should I do when five words seem to belong together?

Assume one is a red herring. Look for the word with a strong second meaning, then test whether it forms a cleaner group elsewhere.

What does “Test a group” do?

Select four words and choose “Check these four” to see whether your grouping works. It stays on this page and never submits a guess to the official puzzle or affects a streak.

Do I need to solve the groups in difficulty order?

No. Start with the clearest exact set. Removing an obvious group often exposes the overlapping meanings and wordplay in the harder groups.

Can I check one answer without spoiling the whole puzzle?

Yes. Every group opens independently, so you can reveal one hint, category or set of four words while keeping the other groups hidden.

About the guide editor

Jordan Ellis

Jordan connects editorial explanations with practice tools, custom puzzles and the site’s future original games.

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