A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #331
hints & answers for May 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 May 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 B, H, R and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BUN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DELI BREAD OPTIONS

Reveal all four words
  • BUN
  • HERO
  • ROLL
  • WRAP

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CHOPS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SLANG FOR MOUTH

Reveal all four words
  • CHOPS
  • KISSER
  • TRAP
  • YAP

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOB belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KEEP RHYTHM WITH MUSIC

Reveal all four words
  • BOB
  • CLAP
  • SNAP
  • TAP

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

APPLAUSE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ROUND OF ___

Reveal all four words
  • APPLAUSE
  • DRINKS
  • FUNDING
  • GOLF

Each entry comes after "ROUND OF" to form a word, expression or name: APPLAUSE → ROUND OF APPLAUSE; DRINKS → ROUND OF DRINKS; FUNDING → ROUND OF FUNDING; GOLF → ROUND OF GOLF.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: DELI BREAD OPTIONS
  • Green: SLANG FOR MOUTH
  • Blue: KEEP RHYTHM WITH MUSIC
  • Purple: ROUND OF ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

DELI BREAD OPTIONS

BUN · HERO · ROLL · WRAP

Green

SLANG FOR MOUTH

CHOPS · KISSER · TRAP · YAP

Blue

KEEP RHYTHM WITH MUSIC

BOB · CLAP · SNAP · TAP

Purple

ROUND OF ___

APPLAUSE · DRINKS · FUNDING · GOLF

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.