A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #323
hints & answers for April 29, 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 29, 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 B, C, D and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BRIDGE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

EXERCISES

Reveal all four words
  • BRIDGE
  • CRUNCH
  • DIP
  • SQUAT

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOUNTY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FEATURED IN WESTERNS

Reveal all four words
  • BOUNTY
  • COWBOY
  • DUEL
  • SALOON

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CARTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LEADERS WHO RECEIVED THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Reveal all four words
  • CARTER
  • GORE
  • KING
  • TUTU

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

BUSY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ BEE

Reveal all four words
  • BUSY
  • HONEY
  • QUEEN
  • SPELLING

Each entry comes before "BEE" to form a word, expression or name: BUSY → BUSY BEE; HONEY → HONEY BEE; QUEEN → QUEEN BEE; SPELLING → SPELLING BEE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: EXERCISES
  • Green: FEATURED IN WESTERNS
  • Blue: LEADERS WHO RECEIVED THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
  • Purple: ___ BEE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

EXERCISES

BRIDGE · CRUNCH · DIP · SQUAT

Green

FEATURED IN WESTERNS

BOUNTY · COWBOY · DUEL · SALOON

Blue

LEADERS WHO RECEIVED THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

CARTER · GORE · KING · TUTU

Purple

___ BEE

BUSY · HONEY · QUEEN · SPELLING

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.