A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #301
hints & answers for April 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 April 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 D, M, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DUMP belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DISORDERLY PLACE

Reveal all four words
  • DUMP
  • MESS
  • PIGPEN
  • STY

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

FIRM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STURDY

Reveal all four words
  • FIRM
  • SOLID
  • SOUND
  • STABLE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CARAMEL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FOUND IN CRACKER JACKS

Reveal all four words
  • CARAMEL
  • PEANUTS
  • POPCORN
  • PRIZE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

CHARLEY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ HORSE

Reveal all four words
  • CHARLEY
  • CRAZY
  • DARK
  • GIFT

Each entry comes before "HORSE" to form a word, expression or name: CHARLEY → CHARLEY HORSE; CRAZY → CRAZY HORSE; DARK → DARK HORSE; GIFT → GIFT HORSE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: DISORDERLY PLACE
  • Green: STURDY
  • Blue: FOUND IN CRACKER JACKS
  • Purple: ___ HORSE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

DISORDERLY PLACE

DUMP · MESS · PIGPEN · STY

Green

STURDY

FIRM · SOLID · SOUND · STABLE

Blue

FOUND IN CRACKER JACKS

CARAMEL · PEANUTS · POPCORN · PRIZE

Purple

___ HORSE

CHARLEY · CRAZY · DARK · GIFT

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.