A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #520
hints & answers for November 12, 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 November 12, 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 B, C, C and G. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BELLYACHE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COMPLAIN

Reveal all four words
  • BELLYACHE
  • CARP
  • CRAB
  • GRUMBLE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, F, S and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CLOVE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

VEGETABLE UNITS

Reveal all four words
  • CLOVE
  • FLORET
  • SPEAR
  • STALK

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

RAM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LAPTOP SPECS

Reveal all four words
  • RAM
  • RESOLUTION
  • SPEED
  • STORAGE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, R, S and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BLINDFOLD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FEATURES OF JUSTICE PERSONIFIED

Reveal all four words
  • BLINDFOLD
  • ROBE
  • SCALES
  • SWORD
Show categories only
  • Yellow: COMPLAIN
  • Green: VEGETABLE UNITS
  • Blue: LAPTOP SPECS
  • Purple: FEATURES OF JUSTICE PERSONIFIED

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

COMPLAIN

BELLYACHE · CARP · CRAB · GRUMBLE

Green

VEGETABLE UNITS

CLOVE · FLORET · SPEAR · STALK

Blue

LAPTOP SPECS

RAM · RESOLUTION · SPEED · STORAGE

Purple

FEATURES OF JUSTICE PERSONIFIED

BLINDFOLD · ROBE · SCALES · SWORD

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.