A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #481
hints & answers for October 4, 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 October 4, 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 D, D, D and D. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DENT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CONCAVITY

Reveal all four words
  • DENT
  • DIMPLE
  • DING
  • DIVOT

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DAB belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SMALL AMOUNT

Reveal all four words
  • DAB
  • DASH
  • DOLLOP
  • DROP

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
Gentle hint

Think of familiar faces from animated films.

Show one word

DAISY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DISNEY CHARACTERS

Reveal all four words
  • DAISY
  • DALE
  • DOC
  • DORY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

DELIVERY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ DATE

Reveal all four words
  • DELIVERY
  • DINNER
  • DREAM
  • DUE

Each entry comes before "DATE" to form a word, expression or name: DELIVERY → DELIVERY DATE; DINNER → DINNER DATE; DREAM → DREAM DATE; DUE → DUE DATE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: CONCAVITY
  • Green: SMALL AMOUNT
  • Blue: DISNEY CHARACTERS
  • Purple: ___ DATE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

CONCAVITY

DENT · DIMPLE · DING · DIVOT

Green

SMALL AMOUNT

DAB · DASH · DOLLOP · DROP

Blue

DISNEY CHARACTERS

DAISY · DALE · DOC · DORY

Purple

___ DATE

DELIVERY · DINNER · DREAM · DUE

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.