A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #55
hints & answers for August 5, 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 August 5, 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 B, D, T and Y. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BLOCKS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CLASSIC TOYS

Reveal all four words
  • BLOCKS
  • DOLL
  • TOP
  • YO-YO

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, E, G and L. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BAGGAGE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WORDS WITH THREE G’S

Reveal all four words
  • BAGGAGE
  • EGGNOG
  • GIGGLE
  • LEGGINGS

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with D, J, P and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DUNCAN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SHAKESPEARE CHARACTERS

Reveal all four words
  • DUNCAN
  • JULIET
  • PUCK
  • VIOLA

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

FISH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ STICK

Reveal all four words
  • FISH
  • HOCKEY
  • MEMORY
  • SELFIE

Each entry comes before "STICK" to form a word, expression or name: FISH → FISH STICK; HOCKEY → HOCKEY STICK; MEMORY → MEMORY STICK; SELFIE → SELFIE STICK.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: CLASSIC TOYS
  • Green: WORDS WITH THREE G’S
  • Blue: SHAKESPEARE CHARACTERS
  • Purple: ___ STICK

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

CLASSIC TOYS

BLOCKS · DOLL · TOP · YO-YO

Green

WORDS WITH THREE G’S

BAGGAGE · EGGNOG · GIGGLE · LEGGINGS

Blue

SHAKESPEARE CHARACTERS

DUNCAN · JULIET · PUCK · VIOLA

Purple

___ STICK

FISH · HOCKEY · MEMORY · SELFIE

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.