NYT Connections #1058
Hints, category titles, and full answers for Monday, May 4, 2026
Connections Hint #1058 — May 4, 2026
Connections Walkthrough — May 4, 2026
A breakdown of every category from the May 4, 2026 puzzle, the trap words designed to fool players, and what made it tricky.
Group-by-group breakdown (easiest to hardest)
- TENDER-HEARTED PERSON
You can group MARSHMALLOW, SOFTIE, SWEETHEART, and TEDDY BEAR as affectionate labels for a gentle person.
- THINGS WITH KNOBS
You can spot physical turning parts on RADIO, STOVE, ETCH A SKETCH, and CONTROL PANEL.
- PELLET-FILLED THINGS
You can connect BEANIE BABY, DESICCANT PACKET, EYE PILLOW, and HACKY SACK by what is packed inside.
- STARTING WITH FAMILIAR NAMES FOR KINDS OF DOGS
You need to notice CHOW, DOODLE, LAB, and PIT at the starts of the remaining words.
The trap words that fool most players
Words placed in this puzzle to make one category look like another.
- BEANIE BABYlooks like · TENDER-HEARTED PERSONactually · PELLET-FILLED THINGS
You might pair the cuddly toy with TEDDY BEAR, but its tiny internal filler is the key.
- TEDDY BEARlooks like · PELLET-FILLED THINGSactually · TENDER-HEARTED PERSON
You may think stuffed object, but here it names a gentle, affectionate type of person.
- LABUBUlooks like · PELLET-FILLED THINGSactually · STARTING WITH FAMILIAR NAMES FOR KINDS OF DOGS
You may see a collectible toy, but you need its opening syllable for the dog-name pattern.
About this puzzle
This is the complete solution to NYT Connections puzzle #1058, originally published on Monday, May 4, 2026. The four categories ranged from TENDER-HEARTED PERSON (the easiest, yellow group) through STARTING WITH FAMILIAR NAMES FOR KINDS OF DOGS (the trickiest, purple group, which usually involves wordplay or hidden patterns).
You can browse our complete Connections archive for every past puzzle since the game launched in June 2023, or jump to today's puzzle for the latest hints.