Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
Want something with a deep, persistent longing.
Show one word
DESIRE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
YEARN
Reveal all four words
- DESIRE
- LONG
- PINE
- YEN
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #390
hints & answers
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#390
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
Gentle hint
Think of titles you could find on a newsstand.
Show one word
FORTUNE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
MAGAZINES
Reveal all four words
- FORTUNE
- MAD
- NATURE
- O
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, M, M and Q. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BOND belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
CHARACTERS IN BOND MOVIES
Reveal all four words
- BOND
- M
- MONEYPENNY
- Q
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, E, K and P. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BUBBLEGUM belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
WORDS THAT PRECEDE “POP” IN MUSIC GENRES
Reveal all four words
- BUBBLEGUM
- EURO
- K
- POWER
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
YEARN
DESIRE · LONG · PINE · YEN
Green
MAGAZINES
FORTUNE · MAD · NATURE · O
Blue
CHARACTERS IN BOND MOVIES
BOND · M · MONEYPENNY · Q
Purple
WORDS THAT PRECEDE “POP” IN MUSIC GENRES
BUBBLEGUM · EURO · K · POWER
Make the connection
Four groups. Just enough help.
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Each group shares something: a meaning, a phrase, a sound, or an unexpected bit of wordplay.
Start with the group that has you stuck. Open its hint, try again, and reveal more only when you need it. Nothing you open will uncover a different group.
Before you spend another guess
- Find all four. Three convincing words can still be a trap. Look for a fourth that fits the same rule.
- Change the meaning. A word can be a noun, a verb, a name, or part of a phrase. Try reading it another way.
- Leave room for overlap. If five words seem to fit, test which one could belong to another group.
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.