A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #336
hints & answers for May 12, 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 12, 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 K, N, R and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

KID belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PLAYFULLY POKE FUN AT

Reveal all four words
  • KID
  • NEEDLE
  • RIB
  • TEASE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CHUCK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CUTS OF BEEF

Reveal all four words
  • CHUCK
  • FLANK
  • LOIN
  • ROUND

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

MIA belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ACRONYMS/INITIALISMS

Reveal all four words
  • MIA
  • OMG
  • PIN
  • RAM

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

LIBRE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COCKTAILS MINUS PLACE NAMES

Reveal all four words
  • LIBRE
  • MAMA
  • MULE
  • SLING
Show categories only
  • Yellow: PLAYFULLY POKE FUN AT
  • Green: CUTS OF BEEF
  • Blue: ACRONYMS/INITIALISMS
  • Purple: COCKTAILS MINUS PLACE NAMES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

PLAYFULLY POKE FUN AT

KID · NEEDLE · RIB · TEASE

Green

CUTS OF BEEF

CHUCK · FLANK · LOIN · ROUND

Blue

ACRONYMS/INITIALISMS

MIA · OMG · PIN · RAM

Purple

COCKTAILS MINUS PLACE NAMES

LIBRE · MAMA · MULE · SLING

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.