A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #142
hints & answers for October 31, 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 31, 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, R, T and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DAISY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FLOWERS

Reveal all four words
  • DAISY
  • ROSE
  • TULIP
  • VIOLET

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BARN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SEEN ON A FARM

Reveal all four words
  • BARN
  • CHICKEN
  • FARMER
  • TRACTOR

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with A, C, C and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

ASTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

HORROR DIRECTORS

Reveal all four words
  • ASTER
  • CARPENTER
  • CRAVEN
  • WAN

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

DUST belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ JACKET

Reveal all four words
  • DUST
  • LIFE
  • SPORTS
  • YELLOW

Each entry comes before "JACKET" to form a word, expression or name: DUST → DUST JACKET; LIFE → LIFE JACKET; SPORTS → SPORTS JACKET; YELLOW → YELLOW JACKET.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: FLOWERS
  • Green: SEEN ON A FARM
  • Blue: HORROR DIRECTORS
  • Purple: ___ JACKET

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

FLOWERS

DAISY · ROSE · TULIP · VIOLET

Green

SEEN ON A FARM

BARN · CHICKEN · FARMER · TRACTOR

Blue

HORROR DIRECTORS

ASTER · CARPENTER · CRAVEN · WAN

Purple

___ JACKET

DUST · LIFE · SPORTS · YELLOW

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.