A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #524
hints & answers for November 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 November 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, C, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CAP belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS THAT PREVENT LEAKS

Reveal all four words
  • CAP
  • COVER
  • PLUG
  • SEAL

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BERET belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF HATS

Reveal all four words
  • BERET
  • DERBY
  • PILLBOX
  • SNAPBACK

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

GATOR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM MEMBERS

Reveal all four words
  • GATOR
  • SOONER
  • VOLUNTEER
  • WOLVERINE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

BANANAS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

GO ___

Reveal all four words
  • BANANAS
  • COMMANDO
  • FIGURE
  • ROGUE

Each entry comes after "GO" to form a word, expression or name: BANANAS → GO BANANAS; COMMANDO → GO COMMANDO; FIGURE → GO FIGURE; ROGUE → GO ROGUE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: THINGS THAT PREVENT LEAKS
  • Green: KINDS OF HATS
  • Blue: COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM MEMBERS
  • Purple: GO ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

THINGS THAT PREVENT LEAKS

CAP · COVER · PLUG · SEAL

Green

KINDS OF HATS

BERET · DERBY · PILLBOX · SNAPBACK

Blue

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM MEMBERS

GATOR · SOONER · VOLUNTEER · WOLVERINE

Purple

GO ___

BANANAS · COMMANDO · FIGURE · ROGUE

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.