A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #381
hints & answers for June 26, 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 26, 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 C, G, M and P. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CAPTAIN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ARMY RANKS

Reveal all four words
  • CAPTAIN
  • GENERAL
  • MAJOR
  • PRIVATE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

JACK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PLACE TO PLUG SOMETHING IN

Reveal all four words
  • JACK
  • OUTLET
  • PORT
  • SOCKET

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

APPETITE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CONSUMER DESIRE, COLLECTIVELY

Reveal all four words
  • APPETITE
  • AUDIENCE
  • DEMAND
  • MARKET

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

ATTACK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ AD

Reveal all four words
  • ATTACK
  • PERSONAL
  • POP-UP
  • WANT

Each entry comes before "AD" to form a word, expression or name: ATTACK → ATTACK AD; PERSONAL → PERSONAL AD; POP-UP → POP-UP AD; WANT → WANT AD.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: ARMY RANKS
  • Green: PLACE TO PLUG SOMETHING IN
  • Blue: CONSUMER DESIRE, COLLECTIVELY
  • Purple: ___ AD

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

ARMY RANKS

CAPTAIN · GENERAL · MAJOR · PRIVATE

Green

PLACE TO PLUG SOMETHING IN

JACK · OUTLET · PORT · SOCKET

Blue

CONSUMER DESIRE, COLLECTIVELY

APPETITE · AUDIENCE · DEMAND · MARKET

Purple

___ AD

ATTACK · PERSONAL · POP-UP · WANT

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.