A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #401
hints & answers for July 16, 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 July 16, 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, S, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CROSS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

IN A BAD MOOD

Reveal all four words
  • CROSS
  • SHORT
  • SURLY
  • TESTY

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

EXPLORATORY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

EXPERIMENTAL

Reveal all four words
  • EXPLORATORY
  • PILOT
  • PRELIMINARY
  • TRIAL

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with F, J, K and M. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FIDDLER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STARTS OF BROADWAY MUSICALS

Reveal all four words
  • FIDDLER
  • JERSEY
  • KINKY
  • MERRILY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

PAN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PETER ___

Reveal all four words
  • PAN
  • PARKER
  • PIPER
  • RABBIT

Each entry comes after "PETER" to form a word, expression or name: PAN → PETER PAN; PARKER → PETER PARKER; PIPER → PETER PIPER; RABBIT → PETER RABBIT.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: IN A BAD MOOD
  • Green: EXPERIMENTAL
  • Blue: STARTS OF BROADWAY MUSICALS
  • Purple: PETER ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

IN A BAD MOOD

CROSS · SHORT · SURLY · TESTY

Green

EXPERIMENTAL

EXPLORATORY · PILOT · PRELIMINARY · TRIAL

Blue

STARTS OF BROADWAY MUSICALS

FIDDLER · JERSEY · KINKY · MERRILY

Purple

PETER ___

PAN · PARKER · PIPER · RABBIT

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.