Tilde Meaning: What The Wavy Symbol Means In Text, Math, And Word Games

From NYT Connections puzzle #1165 on May 30, 2026

This FluentSlang explainer covers Tilde as it appeared in the NYT Connections hints and answers for May 30, 2026. Use it for the quick meaning, the puzzle trap, and the related same-day clues.

Quick answer

Tilde meaning in this puzzle

A tilde is the small wavy symbol that looks like this: ~. In plain English, tilde means the name of that wavy mark, whether it appears over a letter, between numbers, in a computer path, or as a standalone keyboard character.

Tilde
Connections shortcut

Read this clue through the group label typographical symbols, 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 May 30, 2026. In that grid, it pointed toward typographical symbols.

BraceCaretPipeTilde

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 puzzle trap is that Tilde could tempt you toward foreignlanguage marks, math symbols, or internet style. Those are real uses, but the category was broader: typographical symbols.

How To Read It Fast

Start with the ordinary meaning of Tilde, 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.

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Quick Examples

Tilde was the clue that sent many players looking for a plain-English meaning.
Check whether the clue fits the whole four-word group, not just one nearby answer.
If a meaning feels too obvious, try the less common slang, phrase, or category use.
The right group should make all four words click at once.

Today’s Connections Explainers

These pages are built from the same puzzle, so they are the most relevant next reads.