A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #584
hints & answers for January 15, 2025

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 January 15, 2025. 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 M, M, T and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

MECHANISM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MEANS

Reveal all four words
  • MECHANISM
  • MEDIUM
  • TOOL
  • VEHICLE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

LIGHT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LACKING

Reveal all four words
  • LIGHT
  • LOW
  • SHORT
  • SHY

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DIRTY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS

Reveal all four words
  • DIRTY
  • DRY
  • PERFECT
  • WET

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BIG belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FICTIONAL MISTERS

Reveal all four words
  • BIG
  • PEANUT
  • ROBOT
  • TOAD
Show categories only
  • Yellow: MEANS
  • Green: LACKING
  • Blue: MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS
  • Purple: FICTIONAL MISTERS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

MEANS

MECHANISM · MEDIUM · TOOL · VEHICLE

Green

LACKING

LIGHT · LOW · SHORT · SHY

Blue

MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS

DIRTY · DRY · PERFECT · WET

Purple

FICTIONAL MISTERS

BIG · PEANUT · ROBOT · TOAD

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.