A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #236
hints & answers for February 2, 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 February 2, 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, H, L and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BREAK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

TIME OFF

Reveal all four words
  • BREAK
  • HOLIDAY
  • LEAVE
  • RECESS

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BUCKLE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FEATURES OF A BELT

Reveal all four words
  • BUCKLE
  • HOLE
  • LOOP
  • STRAP

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
Gentle hint

Try saying these aloud instead of looking at their spelling.

Show one word

HOLEY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

HOMOPHONES

Reveal all four words
  • HOLEY
  • HOLI
  • HOLY
  • WHOLLY

These entries are pronounced alike despite their different spellings.

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

DOG belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___WOOD

Reveal all four words
  • DOG
  • DRIFT
  • HOLLY
  • SANDAL

Each entry comes before "WOOD" to form a word, expression or name: DOG → DOG WOOD; DRIFT → DRIFT WOOD; HOLLY → HOLLY WOOD; SANDAL → SANDAL WOOD.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: TIME OFF
  • Green: FEATURES OF A BELT
  • Blue: HOMOPHONES
  • Purple: ___WOOD

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

TIME OFF

BREAK · HOLIDAY · LEAVE · RECESS

Green

FEATURES OF A BELT

BUCKLE · HOLE · LOOP · STRAP

Blue

HOMOPHONES

HOLEY · HOLI · HOLY · WHOLLY

Purple

___WOOD

DOG · DRIFT · HOLLY · SANDAL

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.