A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #218
hints & answers for January 15, 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 15, 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, R, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BALLOT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LIST OF CANDIDATES

Reveal all four words
  • BALLOT
  • ROSTER
  • SLATE
  • TICKET

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BUFFER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PROTECTIVE BARRIER

Reveal all four words
  • BUFFER
  • CUSHION
  • PAD
  • SHIELD

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CAPSULE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MEDICINE FORMATS

Reveal all four words
  • CAPSULE
  • CREAM
  • SYRUP
  • TABLET

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

COAT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PEA ___

Reveal all four words
  • COAT
  • GREEN
  • POD
  • SOUP

Each entry comes after "PEA" to form a word, expression or name: COAT → PEA COAT; GREEN → PEA GREEN; POD → PEA POD; SOUP → PEA SOUP.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: LIST OF CANDIDATES
  • Green: PROTECTIVE BARRIER
  • Blue: MEDICINE FORMATS
  • Purple: PEA ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

LIST OF CANDIDATES

BALLOT · ROSTER · SLATE · TICKET

Green

PROTECTIVE BARRIER

BUFFER · CUSHION · PAD · SHIELD

Blue

MEDICINE FORMATS

CAPSULE · CREAM · SYRUP · TABLET

Purple

PEA ___

COAT · GREEN · POD · SOUP

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.