A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #538
hints & answers for November 30, 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 30, 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 J, M, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

JAZZ belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DANCE STYLES

Reveal all four words
  • JAZZ
  • MODERN
  • SWING
  • TAP

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
Gentle hint

Take something without the owner's permission.

Show one word

LIFT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STEAL

Reveal all four words
  • LIFT
  • PALM
  • POCKET
  • SWIPE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

ACE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PERFORM WELL ON

Reveal all four words
  • ACE
  • CRUSH
  • NAIL
  • ROCK

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

CURVE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___BALL PITCHES

Reveal all four words
  • CURVE
  • FAST
  • KNUCKLE
  • SCREW

Each entry comes before "BALL PITCHES" to form a word, expression or name: CURVE → CURVE BALL PITCHES; FAST → FAST BALL PITCHES; KNUCKLE → KNUCKLE BALL PITCHES; SCREW → SCREW BALL PITCHES.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: DANCE STYLES
  • Green: STEAL
  • Blue: PERFORM WELL ON
  • Purple: ___BALL PITCHES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

DANCE STYLES

JAZZ · MODERN · SWING · TAP

Green

STEAL

LIFT · PALM · POCKET · SWIPE

Blue

PERFORM WELL ON

ACE · CRUSH · NAIL · ROCK

Purple

___BALL PITCHES

CURVE · FAST · KNUCKLE · SCREW

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.