Rhyming Compound Words: What They Are and Examples
Wondering what Rhyming Compound Words means in the June 24, 2026 NYT Connections puzzle? This plain-English guide explains the clue, the group it belongs to and the tempting wrong interpretation.
Nora BennettSenior language and word-games editor3 min read
This FluentSlang explainer covers Rhyming Compound Words as it appeared in the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 24, 2026. Use it for the quick meaning, the puzzle trap, and the related same-day clues.
Rhyming Compound Words meaning in this puzzle
Rhyming compound words are two-word phrases where both parts rhyme, like “chick flick” or “hokey pokey.” They’re fun to say and easy to remember, which is why English keeps them around.
Why it showed up in Connections
This clue came from the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 24, 2026. In that grid, it pointed toward rhyming compound words.
They’re sometimes called rhyming reduplication. The two halves sound alike, but each part adds meaning or rhythm to the phrase.
If you’re here from the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 24, 2026, this exact pattern was the purple group: chick flick, helter skelter, humpty dumpty, and mumbo jumbo.
Why this pattern showed up
NYT Connections loves a “sound” category. Instead of grouping words by meaning, it grouped them by rhyme. That’s brutal, because your brain wants to sort by topic first.
Helter skelter felt like music. Humpty dumpty felt like nursery rhymes. Mumbo jumbo felt like nonsense talk. The real link was just the rhyme between the two halves.
Plain examples of rhyming compound words
- chick flick (a romance movie)
- helter skelter (chaos)
- humpty dumpty (the egg character)
- mumbo jumbo (confusing talk)
- hokey pokey (the dance)
- razzle dazzle (flashy show)
- super duper (extra great)
- walkie talkie (radio)
- boogie woogie (a music style)
Say them out loud. The echo is the whole point.
Common mistake
People confuse rhyming compounds with “ablaut” pairs, where the vowel changes instead of rhyming. “Flip flop,” “zig zag,” and “ping pong” don’t rhyme; they swap vowels. Rhyming compounds actually rhyme, like “mumbo jumbo.”
Another mistake is expecting deep meaning. Often the rhyme is doing most of the work, and the phrase just sticks in your head because it sounds good.
Related terms
- reduplication: repeating parts of a word
- ablaut reduplication: flip-flop, tick-tock, sing-song
- rhyming slang: words swapped for rhyming phrases
Quick spot-check list
Ask two questions:
- Is it two words?
- Do they rhyme?
If yes to both, it’s a rhyming compound word.
Two of today’s phrases have their own guides worth a look: the mumbo jumbo meaning breakdown and the Helter Skelter meaning guide. And if the music names tripped you up, our prog rock meaning guide explains why Genesis and Rush belonged in the band group, not here.
Why players miss this group
Rhyming groups feel invisible until you read the phrases aloud. Your eyes scan for topics, but your ears catch the rhyme. When a Connections board has famous phrases scattered around, try whispering each one. The pattern jumps out fast.
For the whole puzzle, see the NYT Connections answers for June 24, 2026, and keep the streak alive with the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 25, 2026.
This page explains rhyming compound words for readers who met the pattern in the NYT Connections puzzle for June 24, 2026 and wanted a simple breakdown.
Nora Bennett
Nora Bennett is FluentSlang’s senior language and word-games editor. She writes spoiler-conscious daily puzzle guides and plain-English explainers for slang, idioms and tricky clue patterns, helping readers understand why an answer works, not just what it is.
More NYT Connections help
Return to the full puzzle, then compare this clue with other explainers from the same grid.