A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #482
hints & answers for October 5, 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 5, 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 F, H, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FILET belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STEAK CUTS

Reveal all four words
  • FILET
  • HANGER
  • SKIRT
  • T-BONE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BIKINI belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF UNDERWEAR

Reveal all four words
  • BIKINI
  • G-STRING
  • HIPSTER
  • THONG

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DRILL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

INVOLVED IN A DENTIST VISIT

Reveal all four words
  • DRILL
  • SINK
  • TOOTHBRUSH
  • X-RAY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CHAPSTICK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BRANDS THAT HAVE BECOME GENERIC TERMS

Reveal all four words
  • CHAPSTICK
  • JACUZZI
  • Q-TIP
  • XEROX
Show categories only
  • Yellow: STEAK CUTS
  • Green: KINDS OF UNDERWEAR
  • Blue: INVOLVED IN A DENTIST VISIT
  • Purple: BRANDS THAT HAVE BECOME GENERIC TERMS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

STEAK CUTS

FILET · HANGER · SKIRT · T-BONE

Green

KINDS OF UNDERWEAR

BIKINI · G-STRING · HIPSTER · THONG

Blue

INVOLVED IN A DENTIST VISIT

DRILL · SINK · TOOTHBRUSH · X-RAY

Purple

BRANDS THAT HAVE BECOME GENERIC TERMS

CHAPSTICK · JACUZZI · Q-TIP · XEROX

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.