A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #315
hints & answers for April 21, 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 21, 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 E, I, M and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

EXAMPLE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

EMBODIMENT

Reveal all four words
  • EXAMPLE
  • IDEAL
  • MODEL
  • SYMBOL

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CAR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

RELATED TO TRAINS

Reveal all four words
  • CAR
  • CONDUCTOR
  • STATION
  • TRACK

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CYMBAL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STARTING WITH THE SAME SOUND

Reveal all four words
  • CYMBAL
  • SCIMITAR
  • SIMMER
  • SYMPHONY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

DRUM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

EAR___

Reveal all four words
  • DRUM
  • MARK
  • WAX
  • WIG

Each entry comes after "EAR" to form a word, expression or name: DRUM → EAR DRUM; MARK → EAR MARK; WAX → EAR WAX; WIG → EAR WIG.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: EMBODIMENT
  • Green: RELATED TO TRAINS
  • Blue: STARTING WITH THE SAME SOUND
  • Purple: EAR___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

EMBODIMENT

EXAMPLE · IDEAL · MODEL · SYMBOL

Green

RELATED TO TRAINS

CAR · CONDUCTOR · STATION · TRACK

Blue

STARTING WITH THE SAME SOUND

CYMBAL · SCIMITAR · SIMMER · SYMPHONY

Purple

EAR___

DRUM · MARK · WAX · WIG

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.