A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #241
hints & answers for February 7, 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 7, 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 C, R, S and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CRAB belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SEA CREATURES

Reveal all four words
  • CRAB
  • RAY
  • SPONGE
  • SQUID

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CIRCLE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BASIC TWO-DIMENSIONAL SHAPES

Reveal all four words
  • CIRCLE
  • DIAMOND
  • SQUARE
  • TRIANGLE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOB belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BOXING MANEUVERS

Reveal all four words
  • BOB
  • CROSS
  • HOOK
  • WEAVE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

FEAST belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FANCY ___

Reveal all four words
  • FEAST
  • FREE
  • PANTS
  • THAT

Each entry comes after "FANCY" to form a word, expression or name: FEAST → FANCY FEAST; FREE → FANCY FREE; PANTS → FANCY PANTS; THAT → FANCY THAT.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: SEA CREATURES
  • Green: BASIC TWO-DIMENSIONAL SHAPES
  • Blue: BOXING MANEUVERS
  • Purple: FANCY ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

SEA CREATURES

CRAB · RAY · SPONGE · SQUID

Green

BASIC TWO-DIMENSIONAL SHAPES

CIRCLE · DIAMOND · SQUARE · TRIANGLE

Blue

BOXING MANEUVERS

BOB · CROSS · HOOK · WEAVE

Purple

FANCY ___

FEAST · FREE · PANTS · THAT

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.