A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #294
hints & answers for March 31, 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 31, 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 F, S, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FALL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

TAKE A TUMBLE

Reveal all four words
  • FALL
  • SLIP
  • SPILL
  • TRIP

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

MINERAL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF WATER

Reveal all four words
  • MINERAL
  • SPRING
  • STILL
  • TAP

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CORSET belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS THAT ARE CINCHED IN THE MIDDLE

Reveal all four words
  • CORSET
  • DIABOLO
  • HOURGLASS
  • WASP

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

BOO-BOO belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ BEAR

Reveal all four words
  • BOO-BOO
  • BROWN
  • HONEY
  • TEDDY

Each entry comes before "BEAR" to form a word, expression or name: BOO-BOO → BOO-BOO BEAR; BROWN → BROWN BEAR; HONEY → HONEY BEAR; TEDDY → TEDDY BEAR.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: TAKE A TUMBLE
  • Green: KINDS OF WATER
  • Blue: THINGS THAT ARE CINCHED IN THE MIDDLE
  • Purple: ___ BEAR

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

TAKE A TUMBLE

FALL · SLIP · SPILL · TRIP

Green

KINDS OF WATER

MINERAL · SPRING · STILL · TAP

Blue

THINGS THAT ARE CINCHED IN THE MIDDLE

CORSET · DIABOLO · HOURGLASS · WASP

Purple

___ BEAR

BOO-BOO · BROWN · HONEY · TEDDY

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.