A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #190
hints & answers for December 18, 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 December 18, 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, J, S and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FLASH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BRIEF MOMENT

Reveal all four words
  • FLASH
  • JIFFY
  • SECOND
  • WINK

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CHIEF belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PRIMARY

Reveal all four words
  • CHIEF
  • FIRST
  • MAIN
  • PRINCIPAL

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BROADWAY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

AVENUES IN N.Y.C.

Reveal all four words
  • BROADWAY
  • FIFTH
  • MADISON
  • PARK

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

AMATEUR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ HOUR

Reveal all four words
  • AMATEUR
  • ELEVENTH
  • HAPPY
  • RUSH

Each entry comes before "HOUR" to form a word, expression or name: AMATEUR → AMATEUR HOUR; ELEVENTH → ELEVENTH HOUR; HAPPY → HAPPY HOUR; RUSH → RUSH HOUR.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: BRIEF MOMENT
  • Green: PRIMARY
  • Blue: AVENUES IN N.Y.C.
  • Purple: ___ HOUR

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

BRIEF MOMENT

FLASH · JIFFY · SECOND · WINK

Green

PRIMARY

CHIEF · FIRST · MAIN · PRINCIPAL

Blue

AVENUES IN N.Y.C.

BROADWAY · FIFTH · MADISON · PARK

Purple

___ HOUR

AMATEUR · ELEVENTH · HAPPY · RUSH

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.