This FluentSlang explainer covers Retinue as it appeared in the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 16, 2026. Use it for the quick meaning, the puzzle trap, and the related same-day clues.
Retinue meaning in this puzzle
A retinue is a group of people who travel with, serve, or attend an important person. Think of a ruler, celebrity, dignitary, or wealthy character surrounded by aides, guards, servants, or assistants.
Read this clue through the group label attendants, then check whether the other answers point the same way.
Why It Showed Up In Connections
This clue came from the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 16, 2026. In that grid, it pointed toward attendants.
The key is to test the whole group, not just the first meaning that pops into your head.
Why this clue can fool people
The trap is that court and suite have more common meanings. Court can mean a legal place or a sports surface. Suite usually means connected rooms. Retinue points away from places and toward people.
How To Read It Fast
Start with the ordinary meaning of Retinue, then ask whether the puzzle is using it as slang, a phrase, a category label, or a wordplay trick.
If the clue only matches one other answer, keep going. The correct Connections group should make all four answers feel like they belong together.
Quick Examples
Today’s Connections Explainers
These pages are built from the same puzzle, so they are the most relevant next reads.