A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #364
hints & answers for June 9, 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 June 9, 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, S, S and U. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BITTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY

Reveal all four words
  • BITTER
  • SALTY
  • SORE
  • UPSET

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

PEPPER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THROW HERE AND THERE

Reveal all four words
  • PEPPER
  • SCATTER
  • SPRINKLE
  • STREW

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CAKE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS WITH LAYERS

Reveal all four words
  • CAKE
  • EARTH
  • ONION
  • PLYWOOD

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

BAKED belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ POTATO

Reveal all four words
  • BAKED
  • COUCH
  • HOT
  • SWEET

Each entry comes before "POTATO" to form a word, expression or name: BAKED → BAKED POTATO; COUCH → COUCH POTATO; HOT → HOT POTATO; SWEET → SWEET POTATO.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY
  • Green: THROW HERE AND THERE
  • Blue: THINGS WITH LAYERS
  • Purple: ___ POTATO

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY

BITTER · SALTY · SORE · UPSET

Green

THROW HERE AND THERE

PEPPER · SCATTER · SPRINKLE · STREW

Blue

THINGS WITH LAYERS

CAKE · EARTH · ONION · PLYWOOD

Purple

___ POTATO

BAKED · COUCH · HOT · SWEET

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.