Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, B, H and N. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BADGER belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
PESTER
Reveal all four words
- BADGER
- BUG
- HOUND
- NAG
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #186
hints & answers
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#186
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with A, B, D and F. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
ARENA belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SPORTS VENUES
Reveal all four words
- ARENA
- BOWL
- DOME
- FIELD
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with D, F, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
DIVIDE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SEPARATE
Reveal all four words
- DIVIDE
- FORK
- PART
- SPLIT
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
Wordplay hint
Try putting the same beginning before each entry.
Show one word
FOX belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SILVER ___
Reveal all four words
- FOX
- LINING
- SCREEN
- SPOON
Each entry comes after "SILVER" to form a word, expression or name.
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
PESTER
BADGER · BUG · HOUND · NAG
Green
SPORTS VENUES
ARENA · BOWL · DOME · FIELD
Blue
SEPARATE
DIVIDE · FORK · PART · SPLIT
Purple
SILVER ___
FOX · LINING · SCREEN · SPOON
Make the connection
Four groups. Just enough help.
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Each group shares something: a meaning, a phrase, a sound, or an unexpected bit of wordplay.
Start with the group that has you stuck. Open its hint, try again, and reveal more only when you need it. Nothing you open will uncover a different group.
Before you spend another guess
- Find all four. Three convincing words can still be a trap. Look for a fourth that fits the same rule.
- Change the meaning. A word can be a noun, a verb, a name, or part of a phrase. Try reading it another way.
- Leave room for overlap. If five words seem to fit, test which one could belong to another group.
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.