Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
You might check the forecast before going out in this.
Show one word
HAIL belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
WET WEATHER
Reveal all four words
- HAIL
- RAIN
- SLEET
- SNOW
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1
hints & answers
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#1
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
Gentle hint
Think of names on a professional basketball scoreboard.
Show one word
BUCKS belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
NBA TEAMS
Reveal all four words
- BUCKS
- HEAT
- JAZZ
- NETS
Blue group
More challenging
Gentle hint
Your fingers may press these while working at a computer.
Show one word
OPTION belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
KEYBOARD KEYS
Reveal all four words
- OPTION
- RETURN
- SHIFT
- TAB
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
Gentle hint
Read each one in both directions.
Show one word
KAYAK belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
PALINDROMES
Reveal all four words
- KAYAK
- LEVEL
- MOM
- RACECAR
Ignoring spaces and punctuation, each entry reads the same forwards and backwards.
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
WET WEATHER
HAIL · RAIN · SLEET · SNOW
Green
NBA TEAMS
BUCKS · HEAT · JAZZ · NETS
Blue
KEYBOARD KEYS
OPTION · RETURN · SHIFT · TAB
Purple
PALINDROMES
KAYAK · LEVEL · MOM · RACECAR
Make the connection
Four groups. Just enough help.
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Each group shares something: a meaning, a phrase, a sound, or an unexpected bit of wordplay.
Start with the group that has you stuck. Open its hint, try again, and reveal more only when you need it. Nothing you open will uncover a different group.
Before you spend another guess
- Find all four. Three convincing words can still be a trap. Look for a fourth that fits the same rule.
- Change the meaning. A word can be a noun, a verb, a name, or part of a phrase. Try reading it another way.
- Leave room for overlap. If five words seem to fit, test which one could belong to another group.
About the answers and hints
Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.
Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.
The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.