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Spoiler-safeMay 28, 2026Puzzle #1082

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for May 28, 2026

Connections puzzle #1082 mixes physical movement, journalism, courtroom fixtures, and familiar ski compounds. The main challenge is separating versatile nouns such as BAR, BENCH, STAND, and LODGE before their exact relationships are visible.

Guide editorNora BennettSenior Editor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Lower the bodyMost direct once the words are read as verbs.
The press as an institutionAccessible, though PRESS can be distracted by its physical-action meaning.
Courtroom fixtures and areasTricky because several entries also belong naturally in sports or public venues.
Words after a winter-sport prefixMost dependent on recognizing a shared word construction.

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

How the May 28 board fits together

The board creates productive ambiguity through nouns with multiple settings. BENCH and BAR can suggest sports or leisure, STAND can act as a verb, LODGE can be a building or an action, and PRESS can refer to both journalism and physical force. The intended solve depends on recognizing one verb set, one institutional synonym set, one room-parts set, and one shared-prefix construction.

Overall difficultyModerate, with a dense cluster of words that can describe places, fixtures, or public institutions.Biggest trapBAR, BENCH, STAND, LODGE, PRESS, and MEDIA invite several plausible pairings before the compound phrase group becomes clear.Best first moveStart with the four unambiguous body-position verbs: DUCK, HUNCH, SQUAT, and STOOP.

Why the board is deceptive

The cleanest opening group consists of four verbs for lowering or bending the body, making it the strongest place to begin.

After that group is removed, identify the journalism synonyms, then use the remaining location words to separate courtroom parts from ski compounds.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Lock in DUCK, HUNCH, SQUAT, and STOOP first. Next, collect MEDIA, NEWS, PAPERS, and PRESS under the press-as-an-institution idea. BAR, BENCH, PODIUM, and STAND then form the courtroom set, leaving four words that follow SKI.

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.

Lower the bodyReveal this group

What connects DUCK, HUNCH, SQUAT and STOOP?

DUCK · HUNCH · SQUAT · STOOP

GET LOW. All of these words can be used as a verb which means to lower or bend or compress the body.

Best anchor: Four actions that physically reduce a person’s height.

The press as an institutionReveal this group

What connects MEDIA, NEWS, PAPERS and PRESS?

MEDIA · NEWS · PAPERS · PRESS

FOURTH ESTATE. These words all refer to journalism or its institutions, collectively known as the Fourth Estate.

Best anchor: Journalism terms tied to the Fourth Estate

Courtroom fixtures and areasReveal this group

What connects BAR, BENCH, PODIUM and STAND?

BAR · BENCH · PODIUM · STAND

PARTS OF A COURTROOM. A courtroom may contain the BAR, judicial BENCH, PODIUM, and witness STAND as distinct fixtures or areas.

Best anchor: Named fixtures and areas found in a courtroom

Words after a winter-sport prefixReveal this group

What connects JUMP, LIFT, LODGE and SLOPE?

JUMP · LIFT · LODGE · SLOPE

SKI ___. When you put SKI before each word, you get a familiar compound or phrase: ski jump, ski lift, ski lodge, ski slope.

Best anchor: Four well-known phrases that begin with the word ski.

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
    GET LOW

    Four actions that physically reduce a person’s height.

  2. 2
    FOURTH ESTATE

    Journalism terms tied to the Fourth Estate

  3. 3
    PARTS OF A COURTROOM

    Named fixtures and areas found in a courtroom

  4. 4
    SKI ___

    Four well-known phrases that begin with the word ski.

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 unambiguous body-position verbs: DUCK, HUNCH, SQUAT, and STOOP..

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.

Most direct once the words are read as verbs. groupLower the body
GET LOW: Four actions that physically reduce a person’s height.
Accessible, though PRESS can be distracted by its physical-action meaning. groupThe press as an institution
FOURTH ESTATE: Journalism terms tied to the Fourth Estate
Tricky because several entries also belong naturally in sports or public venues. groupCourtroom fixtures and areas
PARTS OF A COURTROOM: Named fixtures and areas found in a courtroom
Most dependent on recognizing a shared word construction. groupWords after a winter-sport prefix
SKI ___: Four well-known phrases that begin with the word ski.

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

Nora Bennett

An editor focused on spoiler-conscious daily puzzle guides and plain-English solving explanations.

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