A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #117
hints & answers for October 6, 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 October 6, 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 D, H, L and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DEAD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LAUGHTER, IN A TEXT

Reveal all four words
  • DEAD
  • HAHA
  • LOL
  • ROFL

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DADA belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ART MOVEMENTS

Reveal all four words
  • DADA
  • DECO
  • GOTHIC
  • POP

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with H, N, P and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

HOOK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

“PETER PAN” CHARACTERS

Reveal all four words
  • HOOK
  • NANA
  • PETER
  • WENDY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

BIRD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LADY ___

Reveal all four words
  • BIRD
  • GAGA
  • LUCK
  • MACBETH

Each entry comes after "LADY" to form a word, expression or name: BIRD → LADY BIRD; GAGA → LADY GAGA; LUCK → LADY LUCK; MACBETH → LADY MACBETH.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: LAUGHTER, IN A TEXT
  • Green: ART MOVEMENTS
  • Blue: “PETER PAN” CHARACTERS
  • Purple: LADY ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

LAUGHTER, IN A TEXT

DEAD · HAHA · LOL · ROFL

Green

ART MOVEMENTS

DADA · DECO · GOTHIC · POP

Blue

“PETER PAN” CHARACTERS

HOOK · NANA · PETER · WENDY

Purple

LADY ___

BIRD · GAGA · LUCK · MACBETH

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.