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Verified archive for June 25, 2026 Spoiler-safePuzzle #1110

NYT Connections Hints and Answers for June 25, 2026

Connections puzzle #1110 for June 25, 2026 mixes familiar computer equipment and compression vocabulary with hazardous metals and a final group built around bird homophones hidden at the starts of words.

Guide editorSofia RamirezEditor

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

Connections #1110 Group Breakdown

Edited by Wyna Liu. The board progresses from concrete objects and direct synonyms to specialist scientific knowledge and an opening-sound wordplay group.

Overall difficultyModerate, with a demanding wordplay finishBiggest trapSeveral words invite alternate readings: MONITOR can be a verb, LEAD has multiple pronunciations, COMPACT can name an agreement, and HOCKEY initially looks unlike the other bird-based entries.Best first moveStart with the four unmistakable pieces of computer hardware, then isolate the synonyms describing tightly packed material.

Why the board is deceptive

The cleanest opening set is the collection of computer peripherals: MICROPHONE, MONITOR, PRINTER, and TRACKPAD.

After the direct categories are removed, the remaining wordplay becomes clearer: four words begin with sounds matching bird names.

Open the clean solving route

One way through the board

Remove MICROPHONE, MONITOR, PRINTER, and TRACKPAD first. Next, group COMPACT, COMPRESSED, DENSE, and SQUASHED. The elemental names then form a precise science set, leaving four words whose opening sounds correspond to birds.

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.

Hardware around a computerReveal this group

What connects MICROPHONE, MONITOR, PRINTER and TRACKPAD?

MICROPHONE · MONITOR · PRINTER · TRACKPAD

COMPUTER PERIPHERALS. All four are peripheral devices that provide input to or output from a computer system.

Best anchor: Computer peripheral group explained

Pressed close togetherReveal this group

What connects COMPACT, COMPRESSED, DENSE and SQUASHED?

COMPACT · COMPRESSED · DENSE · SQUASHED

TIGHTLY PACKED. Each word can describe material, objects, or people pressed closely together with little open space.

Best anchor: Tightly packed synonyms explained

Dangerous members of the periodic tableReveal this group

What connects FRANCIUM, LEAD, MERCURY and POLONIUM?

FRANCIUM · LEAD · MERCURY · POLONIUM

HAZARDOUS ELEMENTAL METALS. These are elemental metals associated with serious hazards, including toxicity or radioactivity.

Best anchor: Hazardous elemental metals explained

Words opening with bird soundsReveal this group

What connects CRANIUM, CROQUETTE, DUCTILE and HOCKEY?

CRANIUM · CROQUETTE · DUCTILE · HOCKEY

STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONES. Their beginnings sound like bird names: crane in CRANIUM, crow in CROQUETTE, duck in DUCTILE, and hawk in HOCKEY.

Best anchor: Opening bird homophones explained

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
    COMPUTER PERIPHERALS

    Computer peripheral group explained

  2. 2
    TIGHTLY PACKED

    Tightly packed synonyms explained

  3. 3
    HAZARDOUS ELEMENTAL METALS

    Hazardous elemental metals explained

  4. 4
    STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONES

    Opening bird homophones explained

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 unmistakable pieces of computer hardware, then isolate the synonyms describing tightly packed material..

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 groupHardware around a computer
COMPUTER PERIPHERALS: Computer peripheral group explained
Easy to moderate groupPressed close together
TIGHTLY PACKED: Tightly packed synonyms explained
Moderate groupDangerous members of the periodic table
HAZARDOUS ELEMENTAL METALS: Hazardous elemental metals explained
Hard groupWords opening with bird sounds
STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONES: Opening bird homophones explained

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

Sofia Ramirez

Sofia verifies puzzle dates, public numbers, source facts and the archive details that keep daily guides reliable.

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