NEW YORK — The New York Times Connections puzzle No. 1,076 for Friday, May 22, 2026, challenged players with 16 words grouped into four categories featuring ways to reach back out, social conventions, places with conveyor belts and words starting with name homophones.

The 16 words in today’s grid were: CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT, TOUCH BASE, CONVENTION, CUSTOM, SOCIAL NORM, UNWRITTEN RULE, ASSEMBLY LINE, BAGGAGE CLAIM, CHECKOUT LANE, REVOLVING SUSHI BAR, CARRY-ON, EL NIÑO, LOOSEY-GOOSEY, TAILOR-MADE.

The yellow category, typically the easiest, was “Reach back out”: CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT, TOUCH BASE.

The green category was “The way things are done”: CONVENTION, CUSTOM, SOCIAL NORM, UNWRITTEN RULE.

The blue category was “Places with conveyor belts”: ASSEMBLY LINE, BAGGAGE CLAIM, CHECKOUT LANE, REVOLVING SUSHI BAR.

The purple category, often the most difficult, was “Starting with name homophones”: CARRY-ON, EL NIÑO, LOOSEY-GOOSEY, TAILOR-MADE.

Connections, created by Josh Wardle and acquired by The New York Times, presents 16 words daily that must be sorted into four groups of four sharing a common theme. Players receive feedback with colored tiles progressing from yellow (easiest) to green, blue and purple (hardest).

The puzzle resets at midnight local time. Players have four mistakes allowed before the game ends. Many shared scores on social media using emoji grids showing their solve path.

Community discussions on Reddit’s r/NYTConnections highlighted the cleverness of the purple category, which relied on homophones of names (Carrie, Elle, Lucy, Taylor). The blue category referencing conveyor belts, including the revolving sushi bar, drew comments for its specificity.

Yesterday’s puzzle on May 21, 2026, was No. 1,075. The May 22 edition followed the standard format without additional twists.

The New York Times publishes a Connections Companion article daily with hints and community conversation. For puzzle 1,076, the companion noted the mix of everyday phrases and more niche cultural references.

Players often start by identifying obvious connections, such as the reach-back-out phrases in the yellow group. The conveyor belt locations required knowledge of practical settings where items move continuously.

The homophone category tested wordplay skills, with CARRY-ON (Carrie), EL NIÑO (Elle), LOOSEY-GOOSEY (Lucy) and TAILOR-MADE (Taylor).

Forbes and other sites provided pre-solve hints: the yellow group referenced communication after absence; the green group linked to societal expectations; the blue group involved moving items; and the purple group played on name sounds.

Difficulty varied. Some solvers completed it quickly by spotting the conveyor belt and social norm groups, while others struggled with the purple category until eliminating other possibilities.

The game encourages logical deduction and word association. Strategies include scanning for proper nouns, brand names, homophones or thematic clusters like social phrases, locations and wordplay.

Connections has grown in popularity alongside Wordle, Strands and other New York Times Games. It attracts a broad audience seeking a daily mental workout combining vocabulary, general knowledge and pattern recognition.

No repeats occur in the curated word list. Editors select groupings to balance accessibility with challenge, occasionally drawing from cultural references that resonate differently globally.

Tomorrow’s puzzle, No. 1,077 for May 23, 2026, will offer a new set of 16 words at midnight. Players are encouraged to attempt solves independently before checking solutions.

Educational uses include classroom activities for building categorical thinking and cultural literacy. The game’s web and app accessibility supports play across devices.

As of midday May 22, online forums continued discussing solve strategies and near-misses for puzzle 1,076. Common mistakes involved mixing communication phrases with social norms or confusing conveyor locations.

The New York Times Games team curates Connections to maintain engagement. Puzzle 1,076 exemplified the blend of straightforward and clever connections that defines the daily experience.