This FluentSlang explainer covers Things That Have Boards as it appeared in the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 28, 2026. Use it for the quick meaning, the puzzle trap, and the related same-day clues.
Things That Have Boards meaning in this puzzle
“They have boards” is a hiddenword category. It means each word pairs with “board” to make a real thing: chessboard, corporation board, dartboard, and surfboard.
Read this clue through the group label they have boards, 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 28, 2026. In that grid, it pointed toward they have boards.
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 classic wrong turn is locking in a “games” group with chess, darts, and two other game words. Corporation does not fit games, so it gets left out, and you burn a guess trying to force a fourth game.
How To Read It Fast
Start with the ordinary meaning of Things That Have Boards, 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.