Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #708) – today’s words

Today’s NYT Connections words are…

• MELON
• BALL
• CHANCE
• BAWL
• SOUL
• BLUBBER
• FUNCTION
• FLUKE
• UTILITY
• TOW
• AVENUE
• BENEFIT
• FLIPPER
• RAILROAD
• GALA
• HEAL

NYT Connections today (game #708) – hint #1 – group hints

What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Big bash
• GREEN: Do not pass Go 
• BLUE: Parts of a marine mammal 
• PURPLE: Sound like body parts

Need more clues?

We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #708) – hint #2 – group answers

What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: FUNDRAISING EVENT 
• GREEN: SPACES ON A MONOPOLY BOARD 
• BLUE: FEATURES OF A TOOTHED WHALE 
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE FOOT 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #708) – the answers

The answers to today’s Connections, game #708, are…

• YELLOW: FUNDRAISING EVENT BALL, BENEFIT, FUNCTION, GALA
• GREEN: SPACES ON A MONOPOLY BOARD AVENUE, CHANCE, RAILROAD, UTILITY
• BLUE: FEATURES OF A TOOTHED WHALE BLUBBER, FLIPPER, FLUKE, MELON
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE FOOT BAWL, HEAL, SOUL, TOW

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

After getting FUNDRAISING EVENT quite quickly I struggled to move forward and started shuffling the 12 remaining words. First, I thought that there was a group where luck was the connection – but I couldn’t get beyond FLUKE and CHANCE.

Then I guessed that BLUBBER and FLIPPER must be part of a group to do with marine biology. Out of sheer luck I added FLUKE and BAWL and got “one away”, so swapped the latter for MELON – which I now know is the name given for the tissue found in the foreheads of toothed whales. Every day’s a school day.

I am of course kicking myself with my heel, sole and toes that I didn’t get the relatively straightforward HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE FOOT.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Sunday, May 18, game #707)

• YELLOW: TASKS FOR A STUDENT ASSIGNMENT, DRILL, EXERCISE, LESSON
• GREEN: ENCOURAGING RESPONSES IN A GUESSING GAME ALMOST, CLOSE, NOT QUITE, WARM
• BLUE: UP FOR ANYTHING EASY, FLEXIBLE, GAME, OPEN
• PURPLE: WHAT “A” MIGHT MEAN AREA, ATHLETIC, EXCELLENT, ONE

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna’s addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.