A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #29
hints & answers for July 10, 2023

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows July 10, 2023. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.

Which group has you stuck?

Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with F, G, M and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FLY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WINGED INSECTS

Reveal all four words
  • FLY
  • GNAT
  • MOTH
  • WASP

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with A, D, M and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

ADD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS

Reveal all four words
  • ADD
  • DIVIDE
  • MULTIPLY
  • SUBTRACT

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
Gentle hint

A trip below the waterline may help.

Show one word

SKATE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FISH

Reveal all four words
  • SKATE
  • SOLE
  • TANG
  • TETRA

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

ALLEY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ CAT

Reveal all four words
  • ALLEY
  • COOL
  • COPY
  • LAP

Each entry comes before "CAT" to form a word, expression or name: ALLEY → ALLEY CAT; COOL → COOL CAT; COPY → COPY CAT; LAP → LAP CAT.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: WINGED INSECTS
  • Green: ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS
  • Blue: FISH
  • Purple: ___ CAT

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

WINGED INSECTS

FLY · GNAT · MOTH · WASP

Green

ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS

ADD · DIVIDE · MULTIPLY · SUBTRACT

Blue

FISH

SKATE · SOLE · TANG · TETRA

Purple

___ CAT

ALLEY · COOL · COPY · LAP

This puzzle’s recorded solution

The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.

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.