A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #329
hints & answers for May 5, 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 May 5, 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, F, R and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BENEFIT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SOMETHING GAINED FROM HARD WORK

Reveal all four words
  • BENEFIT
  • FRUIT
  • RETURN
  • REWARD

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

EGG belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF BAGELS

Reveal all four words
  • EGG
  • EVERYTHING
  • PLAIN
  • POPPY

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

ACT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CONTRIBUTE TO A MOVIE

Reveal all four words
  • ACT
  • DIRECT
  • PRODUCE
  • WRITE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

FRANK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STARTS OF MONSTERS

Reveal all four words
  • FRANK
  • MUM
  • VAMP
  • WERE
Show categories only
  • Yellow: SOMETHING GAINED FROM HARD WORK
  • Green: KINDS OF BAGELS
  • Blue: CONTRIBUTE TO A MOVIE
  • Purple: STARTS OF MONSTERS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

SOMETHING GAINED FROM HARD WORK

BENEFIT · FRUIT · RETURN · REWARD

Green

KINDS OF BAGELS

EGG · EVERYTHING · PLAIN · POPPY

Blue

CONTRIBUTE TO A MOVIE

ACT · DIRECT · PRODUCE · WRITE

Purple

STARTS OF MONSTERS

FRANK · MUM · VAMP · WERE

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.