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Verified archive for June 22, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1107

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for June 22, 2026

The June 22, 2026 Connections board combines rank-related synonyms, mathematical notation, pronunciation vocabulary and a concealed set of explosive sound effects.

Guide editorNora BennettSenior Editor

Start here

Take one step at a time

4 groups
Group 1Category hidden
Group 2Category hidden
Group 3Category hidden
Group 4Category hidden

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 June 22 board is organized

Puzzle No. 1107, edited by Wyna Liu. The board moves from a direct synonym set to notation, language terminology and a wordplay group based on opening sound effects.

Overall difficultyModerate to hardBiggest trapHEAD, LEAD, SHORT and SOFT can tempt solvers toward physical descriptions, while X and ● may look like generic symbols. POWDER is the sharpest purple misdirection because its hidden opening is POW, not a meaning-based relationship.Best first moveStart with ALPHA, HEAD, LEAD and PRIMARY. Their shared sense of being foremost is clearer than the board’s notation and sound-based relationships.

Why the board is deceptive

The cleanest opening set is the quartet of words that can convey being foremost, principal or in control.

The main risk lies in regarding symbol-heavy entries as random markings, rather than appreciating their shared mathematical function.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Remove the DOMINANT words first, then test BY, TIMES, X and ● as multiplication signs. The pronunciation terms should emerge next, leaving four words whose openings hide BANG, BOOM, POP and POW.

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.

Words for the foremost or controlling positionReveal this group

What connects ALPHA, HEAD, LEAD and PRIMARY?

ALPHA · HEAD · LEAD · PRIMARY

DOMINANT. ALPHA, HEAD, LEAD and PRIMARY can each indicate the foremost, principal or controlling member of a hierarchy.

Best anchor: Each word can describe what ranks first or holds the leading position.

Ways to show multiplicationReveal this group

What connects BY, TIMES, X and ●?

BY · TIMES · X · ●

MULTIPLICATION INDICATORS. The terms BY, TIMES, X, ● all help indicate multiplication, whether through a spoken expression, dimensions, or just writing it down.

Best anchor: All four can signal that one quantity should be multiplied by another.

Terms used when discussing pronunciationReveal this group

What connects SHORT, SILENT, SOFT and STRESSED?

SHORT · SILENT · SOFT · STRESSED

PRONUNCIATION DESCRIPTORS. SHORT, SILENT, SOFT and STRESSED are standard descriptors applied to vowels, consonants, sounds or syllables in pronunciation.

Best anchor: These words refer to how letters, sounds, or syllables are pronounced.

Words beginning with explosive sound effectsReveal this group

What connects BANGKOK, BOOMER, POPSICLE and POWDER?

BANGKOK · BOOMER · POPSICLE · POWDER

STARTING WITH EXPLOSIVE ONOMATOPOEIA. BANGKOK, BOOMER, POPSICLE and POWDER begin with BANG, BOOM, POP and POW, respectively—onomatopoeic words associated with explosive sounds.

Best anchor: The beginnings are BANG, BOOM, POP and POW—comic explosive sounds.

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
    DOMINANT

    Each word can describe what ranks first or holds the leading position.

  2. 2
    MULTIPLICATION INDICATORS

    All four can signal that one quantity should be multiplied by another.

  3. 3
    PRONUNCIATION DESCRIPTORS

    These words refer to how letters, sounds, or syllables are pronounced.

  4. 4
    STARTING WITH EXPLOSIVE ONOMATOPOEIA

    The beginnings are BANG, BOOM, POP and POW—comic explosive sounds.

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 ALPHA, HEAD, LEAD and PRIMARY. Their shared sense of being foremost is clearer than the board’s notation and sound-based relationships..

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.

Easy groupWords for the foremost or controlling position
DOMINANT: Each word can describe what ranks first or holds the leading position.
Medium groupWays to show multiplication
MULTIPLICATION INDICATORS: All four can signal that one quantity should be multiplied by another.
Medium groupTerms used when discussing pronunciation
PRONUNCIATION DESCRIPTORS: These words refer to how letters, sounds, or syllables are pronounced.
Hard groupWords beginning with explosive sound effects
STARTING WITH EXPLOSIVE ONOMATOPOEIA: The beginnings are BANG, BOOM, POP and POW—comic explosive sounds.

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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