Wanna see the answers for May 19? Here they are. And no, we didn’t give up before you did.
If you’re playing along with The New York Times today, you might feel that Gen Z spark of joy. Or maybe just the Gen Z exhaustion of scrolling. Doesn’t matter. The point is the puzzle itself. Number 1073.
“What a literary legend,” wrote one player after cracking the blue group.
They weren’t wrong. It was satisfying. In a way only word puzzles can be. That specific click of understanding when the dots connect.
Got a bot problem? The Times has one. Use it after you play if you want your performance dissected. You’ll get a score. You’ll see your win streak. It’s for people who like stats more than they like words. Registered users can track every puzzle solved, every perfect game, every stumble. Nerd out, basically.
But first. Let’s look at today’s clues.
The Hints
The editors drop these like breadcrumbs. Ranked from easiest to “what are you talking about?”
- Yellow: Waaaaaah!
- Green: Mess with the numbers.
- Blue: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.
- Purple: Under the sea.
The Answers
Yellow Group: Things Babies Do
Simple enough. If you’ve ever been near an infant. Or been one.
- Babble
- Cry
- Nurse
- Teethe
Green Group: Modify Deceptively
You’re not being honest. Not even a little.
- Alter
- Cook
- Doctor
- Fudge
Blue Group: Judy Blume Books
The literary legend mentioned earlier. Remember high school book reports? Maybe these were yours.
- Blubber
- Deenie
- Forever
- Superfudge
Purple Group: Fish Minus a Letter
Here is where the pain sets in. Look closely at the fish names. Rip one letter out.
- Founder (remove F from flounder )
- Salon (remove M from salmon )
- Surgeon (remove T from sturgeon )
- Trot (remove T from trout )
Hard? Yes. Unexpected? Always.
The Toughest Ones So Far
Curious about what beats players more consistently than missing letters from fish names? History remembers them. These puzzles broke us.
#1: Things That Can Run
Candidate, faucet, mascara, nose.
Run your nose. Run a race. The mental gymnastics were intense.
#2: Power __
Nap, plant, ranger, trip.
Power nap. Power ranger. Classic wordplay. Or lazy? You decide.
#3: Streets on Screen
Elm, Fear, Jump, Sesame.
Sesame Street. Elm Street. You’re not thinking of locations, you’re thinking of pop culture. Sneaky.
#4: One in a Dozen
Egg, juror, month, rose.
Math and metaphors combined. Usually means trouble.
#5: Things You Can Set
Mood, record, table, volleyball.
Set a table. Set the mood. Physical and abstract in the same box.
Do you have a puzzle that haunted you for hours? One where the solution stared you in the face but you refused to look? We’re guessing you do. 🧩
