Need the answers for the May 9 New York Times Connections puzzle? To me, Wordle is more of a vocabulary test, but Connections is more of a brainteaser. You're given 16 words and asked to put them into four groups that are somehow connected. Sometimes they're obvious, but the game editor knows how to trick you by using words that can fit in more than one group. 

And do you also play Wordle? We've got today's Wordle answer and hints too.

How to play Connections

Playing is easy. Winning is hard. Look at the 16 words and mentally assign them to related groups of four. Click on the four words you think go together. The groups are coded by color, though you don't know what goes where until you see the answers. The yellow group is the easiest, then green, then blue, and purple is the toughest. Look at the words carefully, and think about related terms. Sometimes the connection has to do with just a part of the word. Once, four words were grouped because each started with the name of a rock band, including "Rushmore" and "Journeyman."

Read more: NYT Connections Could Be the New Wordle: Our Hints and Tips

Hints for today's Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today's Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest, yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Shut it up.

Green group hint: Span.

Blue group hint: Administer or control.

Purple group hint: Perry from Phineas and Ferb.

Read more: Wordle Player Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in the English Language

Answers for today's Connections groups

Yellow group: Container closures.

Green group: Duration.

Blue group: Regulate.

Purple group: Trademarks of a platypus.

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What are today's Connections answers?

The yellow words in today's Connections

The theme is container closures. The four words are cap, cork, lid and tab.

The green words in today's Connections

The theme is duration. The four words are period, spell, stretch and time.

The blue words in today's Connections

The theme is regulate. The four words are check, contain, curb and limit.

The purple words in today's Connections

The theme is trademarks of a platypus. The four words are bill, egg, fur and venom.