A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #335
hints & answers for May 11, 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 11, 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 H, L, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

HEADLINER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ONE WITH TOP BILLING

Reveal all four words
  • HEADLINER
  • LEAD
  • PRINCIPAL
  • STAR

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CROSS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

VAMPIRE VULNERABILITIES

Reveal all four words
  • CROSS
  • GARLIC
  • SILVER
  • SUN

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CRACKED belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SATIRICAL PUBLICATIONS, FAMILIARLY

Reveal all four words
  • CRACKED
  • LAMPOON
  • MAD
  • ONION

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

MED belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CLUB ___

Reveal all four words
  • MED
  • MUSIC
  • SANDWICH
  • SODA

Each entry comes after "CLUB" to form a word, expression or name: MED → CLUB MED; MUSIC → CLUB MUSIC; SANDWICH → CLUB SANDWICH; SODA → CLUB SODA.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: ONE WITH TOP BILLING
  • Green: VAMPIRE VULNERABILITIES
  • Blue: SATIRICAL PUBLICATIONS, FAMILIARLY
  • Purple: CLUB ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

ONE WITH TOP BILLING

HEADLINER · LEAD · PRINCIPAL · STAR

Green

VAMPIRE VULNERABILITIES

CROSS · GARLIC · SILVER · SUN

Blue

SATIRICAL PUBLICATIONS, FAMILIARLY

CRACKED · LAMPOON · MAD · ONION

Purple

CLUB ___

MED · MUSIC · SANDWICH · SODA

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.