A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #206
hints & answers for January 3, 2024

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 January 3, 2024. 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, F, G and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FLOAT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MOVE THROUGH THE AIR

Reveal all four words
  • FLOAT
  • FLY
  • GLIDE
  • SOAR

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BUG belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

HIDDEN LISTENING DEVICES

Reveal all four words
  • BUG
  • MIKE
  • TAP
  • WIRE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CHECK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SELECT, AS A BOX ON A FORM

Reveal all four words
  • CHECK
  • MARK
  • TICK
  • X

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-character clue

Look for four entries beginning with 4, C, P and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

40 belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

RAPPERS MINUS FIRST LETTER

Reveal all four words
  • 40
  • COLE
  • PAIN
  • TIP
Show categories only
  • Yellow: MOVE THROUGH THE AIR
  • Green: HIDDEN LISTENING DEVICES
  • Blue: SELECT, AS A BOX ON A FORM
  • Purple: RAPPERS MINUS FIRST LETTER

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

MOVE THROUGH THE AIR

FLOAT · FLY · GLIDE · SOAR

Green

HIDDEN LISTENING DEVICES

BUG · MIKE · TAP · WIRE

Blue

SELECT, AS A BOX ON A FORM

CHECK · MARK · TICK · X

Purple

RAPPERS MINUS FIRST LETTER

40 · COLE · PAIN · TIP

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.