A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #216
hints & answers for January 13, 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 13, 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 B, I, P and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BADGE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CREDENTIALS FOR ENTRY

Reveal all four words
  • BADGE
  • INVITE
  • PASS
  • TICKET

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, D, L and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CHAIR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PRESIDE OVER

Reveal all four words
  • CHAIR
  • DIRECT
  • LEAD
  • RUN

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CENTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

AMERICAN FOOTBALL POSITIONS

Reveal all four words
  • CENTER
  • END
  • SAFETY
  • TACKLE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

HOLD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

POSTPONE

Reveal all four words
  • HOLD
  • PUNT
  • STALL
  • TABLE
Show categories only
  • Yellow: CREDENTIALS FOR ENTRY
  • Green: PRESIDE OVER
  • Blue: AMERICAN FOOTBALL POSITIONS
  • Purple: POSTPONE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

CREDENTIALS FOR ENTRY

BADGE · INVITE · PASS · TICKET

Green

PRESIDE OVER

CHAIR · DIRECT · LEAD · RUN

Blue

AMERICAN FOOTBALL POSITIONS

CENTER · END · SAFETY · TACKLE

Purple

POSTPONE

HOLD · PUNT · STALL · TABLE

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.