NYT Connections · #1102

NYT Connections Hints & Answers (#1102) — June 17, 2026

By Sneha Rajput·June 17, 2026

“I opened today's grid and immediately saw a kitchen — FLOUR, SUGAR, EGGS, BACON, BREAD — so my first instinct was 'easy, just group the food.' That's exactly the trap. A few of those tasty words wander off into other categories, so don't commit too early. Lock the most literal group first and let the decoys reveal themselves.”

NYT Connections hints for June 17, 2026

Three levels of help — a definition for every word, colour-coded group nudges, and a heads-up on the traps. Skip to all answers →

Word clues

A spoiler-free definition for every word in the grid. Tap the eye on any card to reveal which colour-group it belongs to.

1 BACKThe rear part of something — or to support a person or cause.

2 BACONSalt-cured meat from a pig's back or belly, fried up for breakfast.

3 BARRELA large round wooden container, often used to age wine or whisky.

4 BREADA staple food baked from flour and water; also old-school slang for money.

5 BUTTERA rich dairy fat churned from cream, spread on bread or baked into cakes.

6 CARDA small rectangle of stiff paper used for games, greetings or payment.

7 CHEDDARA firm yellow cheese from England; also modern slang for money.

8 DOUGHThe thick flour-and-liquid mixture before baking; also a casual word for cash.

9 DRUMA percussion instrument played by striking its stretched skin with sticks or hands.

10 EGGSOval shells laid by hens, used to bind and enrich countless recipes.

11 FLOURA fine powder ground from wheat — the base of bread, cakes and pastry.

12 LIGHTThe brightness that lets us see, or something low in weight.

13 MOBA large, disorderly crowd — or an organised group of criminals.

14 PAYTo hand over money in return for goods, services or work done.

15 ROCKA solid mineral mass — or a loud, guitar-driven genre of popular music.

16 SUGARA sweet crystalline carbohydrate that sweetens food and helps baked goods brown.

Group hints

Four colour-coded groups, easiest → hardest. Every button reveals the hint, the category name, or a single word — tap only what you need.

See Hint

Reach for these before you preheat the oven.

See Group

BAKING STAPLES

See Word

FLOUR

See Word

SUGAR

See Word

EGGS

See Word

BUTTER

See Hint

Each one comes right before the same short word.

See Group

___ ROLL

See Word

DRUM

See Word

ROCK

See Word

BARREL

See Word

PAY

See Hint

You might say you 'bring it home.'

See Group

SLANG FOR MONEY

See Word

BREAD

See Word

DOUGH

See Word

CHEDDAR

See Word

BACON

See Hint

Pairs with a word meaning a sudden burst.

See Group

FLASH ___

See Word

BACK

See Word

LIGHT

See Word

MOB

See Word

CARD

Words the puzzle wants you to mis-group

Read these before you guess — they're the words most likely to break a streak. Tap for the trap.

1 BREAD Tap to see why this word traps.

Looks like a baking staple, but it's slang for money.

2 BACON Tap to see why this word traps.

A food word that actually belongs with the money group.

3 BARREL Tap to see why this word traps.

Feels out of place until you spot the 'roll' theme.

NYT Connections answers for June 17, 2026

All four groups revealed, easiest first. Each card holds the theme, the four words, and why the group works.

Y BAKING STAPLES · Yellow · easiest

FLOUR
SUGAR
EGGS
BUTTER

All four are basic ingredients you measure out before baking almost anything.

G ___ ROLL · Green · easy

DRUM
ROCK
BARREL
PAY

Each word comes right before 'roll': drum roll, rock 'n' roll, barrel roll, payroll.

B SLANG FOR MONEY · Blue · medium

BREAD
DOUGH
CHEDDAR
BACON

All four are informal words for cash — 'bring home the bacon,' 'making dough.'

P FLASH ___ · Purple · hardest

BACK
LIGHT
MOB
CARD

Each follows 'flash': flashback, flashlight, flash mob, flashcard.

Try another puzzle

Two more NazoKai hints, ready when you are.

Wordle

Today's hint ladder & answer

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Spelling Bee

Answers, pangram & word list

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