A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #165
hints & answers for November 23, 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 November 23, 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 P, P, T and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

PASTY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FOODS WITH CRUSTS

Reveal all four words
  • PASTY
  • PIE
  • TART
  • TURNOVER

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOUQUET belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ENDING IN A SILENT “T”

Reveal all four words
  • BOUQUET
  • PARFAIT
  • RAGOUT
  • RAPPORT

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

JAPAN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COUNTRIES WITH RED AND WHITE FLAGS

Reveal all four words
  • JAPAN
  • POLAND
  • TUNISIA
  • TURKEY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BIRD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

N.B.A. GREATS

Reveal all four words
  • BIRD
  • CURRY
  • JAMES
  • JORDAN
Show categories only
  • Yellow: FOODS WITH CRUSTS
  • Green: ENDING IN A SILENT “T”
  • Blue: COUNTRIES WITH RED AND WHITE FLAGS
  • Purple: N.B.A. GREATS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

FOODS WITH CRUSTS

PASTY · PIE · TART · TURNOVER

Green

ENDING IN A SILENT “T”

BOUQUET · PARFAIT · RAGOUT · RAPPORT

Blue

COUNTRIES WITH RED AND WHITE FLAGS

JAPAN · POLAND · TUNISIA · TURKEY

Purple

N.B.A. GREATS

BIRD · CURRY · JAMES · JORDAN

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.