A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #544
hints & answers for December 6, 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 December 6, 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 P, P, S and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

PERPLEX belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BAFFLE

Reveal all four words
  • PERPLEX
  • PUZZLE
  • STUMP
  • VEX

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

HEX belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CURSE

Reveal all four words
  • HEX
  • JINX
  • POX
  • SPELL

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BUZZ belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

“TOY STORY” CHARACTERS, FAMILIARLY

Reveal all four words
  • BUZZ
  • HAMM
  • REX
  • SLINKY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CORE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COLLOQUIAL SUFFIXES

Reveal all four words
  • CORE
  • GATE
  • MANIA
  • PILLED
Show categories only
  • Yellow: BAFFLE
  • Green: CURSE
  • Blue: “TOY STORY” CHARACTERS, FAMILIARLY
  • Purple: COLLOQUIAL SUFFIXES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

BAFFLE

PERPLEX · PUZZLE · STUMP · VEX

Green

CURSE

HEX · JINX · POX · SPELL

Blue

“TOY STORY” CHARACTERS, FAMILIARLY

BUZZ · HAMM · REX · SLINKY

Purple

COLLOQUIAL SUFFIXES

CORE · GATE · MANIA · PILLED

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.