What is the NYT Connections answer for June 2 (#1087)?

The four groups are CLANDESTINE (CLOAK-AND-DAGGER, COVERT, HUSH-HUSH, TOP SECRET); BRITISH POTATO DISHES (BUBBLE AND SQUEAK, CHIPS, JACKET POTATO, MASH); HERALDIC ACHIEVEMENTS (COAT OF ARMS, CREST, HELMET, SHIELD); ENDING IN MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS (CAPE MAY, FREE WILL, GRAPE MUST, TIN CAN).

Which Connections group is hardest today?

The purple group — "ENDING IN MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS" — is the trickiest, as it usually relies on wordplay or a hidden connection rather than a straightforward category.

What do the Connections colors mean?

Yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple is the hardest — often involving wordplay or a hidden twist.

Tuesday, June 2, 2026#1087

NYT Connections Hints & Answer — Tuesday, June 2

DailyWordHints Editorial June 2

CLANDESTINE

Easiest

BRITISH POTATO DISHES

Easy

HERALDIC ACHIEVEMENTS

Tricky

ENDING IN MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS

Hardest

Today's NYT Connections groups are CLANDESTINE (yellow), BRITISH POTATO DISHES (green), HERALDIC ACHIEVEMENTS (blue), ENDING IN MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS (purple).

TIN CAN

JACKET POTATO

COAT OF ARMS

MASH

CLOAK-AND-DAGGER

CREST

CHIPS

CAPE MAY

HELMET

TOP SECRET

FREE WILL

HUSH-HUSH

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

GRAPE MUST

COVERT

SHIELD

Hints by group

yellowEasiest

greenEasy

blueTricky

purpleHardest

Full answers below

Today’s answers

yellowEasiest

greenEasy

blueTricky

purpleHardest

See all past Connections puzzles →

Today's Connections hints (no answers yet)

Here are spoiler-free nudges for NYT Connections #1087, Tuesday, June 2. Reveal one color at a time and work from the easiest group (yellow) to the trickiest (purple).

How to use these hints

Each clue is written so it never names any of the sixteen words — it just points you in the right direction. Open the full answer only once you're truly stuck.

Strategy for solving today's grid

Lock in the group you're most confident about first to shrink the board, but resist the obvious four-of-a-kind — the puzzle almost always plants a word that fits two themes. Save the purple group for last; it usually hides the wordplay twist.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NYT Connections answer for June 2 (#1087)?: The four groups are CLANDESTINE (CLOAK-AND-DAGGER, COVERT, HUSH-HUSH, TOP SECRET); BRITISH POTATO DISHES (BUBBLE AND SQUEAK, CHIPS, JACKET POTATO, MASH); HERALDIC ACHIEVEMENTS (COAT OF ARMS, CREST, HELMET, SHIELD); ENDING IN MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS (CAPE MAY, FREE WILL, GRAPE MUST, TIN CAN).
Which Connections group is hardest today?: The purple group — "ENDING IN MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS" — is the trickiest, as it usually relies on wordplay or a hidden connection rather than a straightforward category.
What do the Connections colors mean?: Yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple is the hardest — often involving wordplay or a hidden twist.