A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #378
hints & answers for June 23, 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 23, 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 E, E, Q and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

EASY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

“SETTLE DOWN!”

Reveal all four words
  • EASY
  • ENOUGH
  • QUIET
  • RELAX

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BUG belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MINOR AILMENTS

Reveal all four words
  • BUG
  • CHILL
  • COLD
  • COUGH

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BREACH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WHAT HUMPBACK WHALES DO

Reveal all four words
  • BREACH
  • DIVE
  • SING
  • SPOUT

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

MAGIC belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ CITY NICKNAMES

Reveal all four words
  • MAGIC
  • MOTOR
  • SIN
  • WINDY

Each entry comes before "CITY NICKNAMES" to form a word, expression or name: MAGIC → MAGIC CITY NICKNAMES; MOTOR → MOTOR CITY NICKNAMES; SIN → SIN CITY NICKNAMES; WINDY → WINDY CITY NICKNAMES.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: “SETTLE DOWN!”
  • Green: MINOR AILMENTS
  • Blue: WHAT HUMPBACK WHALES DO
  • Purple: ___ CITY NICKNAMES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

“SETTLE DOWN!”

EASY · ENOUGH · QUIET · RELAX

Green

MINOR AILMENTS

BUG · CHILL · COLD · COUGH

Blue

WHAT HUMPBACK WHALES DO

BREACH · DIVE · SING · SPOUT

Purple

___ CITY NICKNAMES

MAGIC · MOTOR · SIN · WINDY

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.