A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #288
hints & answers for March 25, 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 25, 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, P, R and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CLIP belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

HOW FAST SOMETHING IS GOING

Reveal all four words
  • CLIP
  • PACE
  • RATE
  • SPEED

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with F, G, H and M. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FASTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

"STEP ON IT!"

Reveal all four words
  • FASTER
  • GO
  • HURRY
  • MOVE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CLIPPER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

N.B.A. TEAM PLAYER

Reveal all four words
  • CLIPPER
  • PACER
  • ROCKET
  • SPUR

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

COMMUTE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

TELE___

Reveal all four words
  • COMMUTE
  • MEDICINE
  • PROMPTER
  • VISION

Each entry comes after "TELE" to form a word, expression or name: COMMUTE → TELE COMMUTE; MEDICINE → TELE MEDICINE; PROMPTER → TELE PROMPTER; VISION → TELE VISION.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: HOW FAST SOMETHING IS GOING
  • Green: "STEP ON IT!"
  • Blue: N.B.A. TEAM PLAYER
  • Purple: TELE___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

HOW FAST SOMETHING IS GOING

CLIP · PACE · RATE · SPEED

Green

"STEP ON IT!"

FASTER · GO · HURRY · MOVE

Blue

N.B.A. TEAM PLAYER

CLIPPER · PACER · ROCKET · SPUR

Purple

TELE___

COMMUTE · MEDICINE · PROMPTER · VISION

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.