A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #109
hints & answers for September 28, 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 September 28, 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, G and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FLASH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

REFLECT LIGHT

Reveal all four words
  • FLASH
  • GLEAM
  • GLITTER
  • SPARKLE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with F, F, H and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FISH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WAYS TO GATHER FOOD

Reveal all four words
  • FISH
  • FORAGE
  • HUNT
  • TRAP

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOUNCE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

RAP SUBGENRES

Reveal all four words
  • BOUNCE
  • CRUNK
  • DRILL
  • GRIME

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

BEER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LIGHT ___

Reveal all four words
  • BEER
  • BULB
  • RAIL
  • YEAR

Each entry comes after "LIGHT" to form a word, expression or name: BEER → LIGHT BEER; BULB → LIGHT BULB; RAIL → LIGHT RAIL; YEAR → LIGHT YEAR.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: REFLECT LIGHT
  • Green: WAYS TO GATHER FOOD
  • Blue: RAP SUBGENRES
  • Purple: LIGHT ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

REFLECT LIGHT

FLASH · GLEAM · GLITTER · SPARKLE

Green

WAYS TO GATHER FOOD

FISH · FORAGE · HUNT · TRAP

Blue

RAP SUBGENRES

BOUNCE · CRUNK · DRILL · GRIME

Purple

LIGHT ___

BEER · BULB · RAIL · YEAR

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.