Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with J, P, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
JAB belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
THRUST
Reveal all four words
- JAB
- POKE
- PROD
- STICK
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #296
hints & answers
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#296
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with A, B, M and M. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
ADDER belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
KINDS OF SNAKES
Reveal all four words
- ADDER
- BOA
- MAMBA
- MOCCASIN
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, P, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BALL belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SEEN IN “CINDERELLA”
Reveal all four words
- BALL
- PRINCE
- PUMPKIN
- SLIPPER
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
Gentle hint
These could determine the outline of your next Italian dinner.
Show one word
BOWTIE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
PASTA SHAPES
Reveal all four words
- BOWTIE
- ELBOW
- TUBE
- WHEEL
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
THRUST
JAB · POKE · PROD · STICK
Green
KINDS OF SNAKES
ADDER · BOA · MAMBA · MOCCASIN
Blue
SEEN IN “CINDERELLA”
BALL · PRINCE · PUMPKIN · SLIPPER
Purple
PASTA SHAPES
BOWTIE · ELBOW · TUBE · WHEEL
Make the connection
Four groups. Just enough help.
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Each group shares something: a meaning, a phrase, a sound, or an unexpected bit of wordplay.
Start with the group that has you stuck. Open its hint, try again, and reveal more only when you need it. Nothing you open will uncover a different group.
Before you spend another guess
- Find all four. Three convincing words can still be a trap. Look for a fourth that fits the same rule.
- Change the meaning. A word can be a noun, a verb, a name, or part of a phrase. Try reading it another way.
- Leave room for overlap. If five words seem to fit, test which one could belong to another group.
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.