A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #271
hints & answers for March 8, 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 March 8, 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 D, H, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DART belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS TO SEW

Reveal all four words
  • DART
  • HEM
  • PLEAT
  • SEAM

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CAN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WAYS TO PRESERVE FOOD

Reveal all four words
  • CAN
  • CURE
  • DRY
  • FREEZE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BITE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SHARP QUALITY

Reveal all four words
  • BITE
  • EDGE
  • PUNCH
  • SPICE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CONDO belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BIRDS MINUS LAST LETTER

Reveal all four words
  • CONDO
  • HAW
  • HERO
  • LOO
Show categories only
  • Yellow: THINGS TO SEW
  • Green: WAYS TO PRESERVE FOOD
  • Blue: SHARP QUALITY
  • Purple: BIRDS MINUS LAST LETTER

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

THINGS TO SEW

DART · HEM · PLEAT · SEAM

Green

WAYS TO PRESERVE FOOD

CAN · CURE · DRY · FREEZE

Blue

SHARP QUALITY

BITE · EDGE · PUNCH · SPICE

Purple

BIRDS MINUS LAST LETTER

CONDO · HAW · HERO · LOO

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.