A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #525
hints & answers for November 17, 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 17, 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 A, G, L and U. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

ASSOCIATION belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ALLIANCE

Reveal all four words
  • ASSOCIATION
  • GUILD
  • LEAGUE
  • UNION

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CLINGY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CLOSE-FITTING

Reveal all four words
  • CLINGY
  • SLEEK
  • SLINKY
  • SNUG

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

APOLOGY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

OCCASIONS WHEN ONE MIGHT KNEEL

Reveal all four words
  • APOLOGY
  • DUBBING
  • PRAYER
  • PROPOSAL

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CONTRACTION belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WHAT AN APOSTROPHE MIGHT INDICATE

Reveal all four words
  • CONTRACTION
  • FOOT
  • POSSESSIVE
  • QUOTATION
Show categories only
  • Yellow: ALLIANCE
  • Green: CLOSE-FITTING
  • Blue: OCCASIONS WHEN ONE MIGHT KNEEL
  • Purple: WHAT AN APOSTROPHE MIGHT INDICATE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

ALLIANCE

ASSOCIATION · GUILD · LEAGUE · UNION

Green

CLOSE-FITTING

CLINGY · SLEEK · SLINKY · SNUG

Blue

OCCASIONS WHEN ONE MIGHT KNEEL

APOLOGY · DUBBING · PRAYER · PROPOSAL

Purple

WHAT AN APOSTROPHE MIGHT INDICATE

CONTRACTION · FOOT · POSSESSIVE · QUOTATION

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.