A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #607
hints & answers for February 7, 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 February 7, 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 D, H, L and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DIRECT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BE IN CHARGE OF

Reveal all four words
  • DIRECT
  • HEAD
  • LEAD
  • RUN

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BALLOON belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS MADE OF RUBBER

Reveal all four words
  • BALLOON
  • ERASER
  • GALOSH
  • TIRE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BLUE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENIE IN “ALADDIN”

Reveal all four words
  • BLUE
  • EARRING
  • LAMP
  • WISHES

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

BULL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

RED ___

Reveal all four words
  • BULL
  • CROSS
  • HERRING
  • VELVET

Each entry comes after "RED" to form a word, expression or name: BULL → RED BULL; CROSS → RED CROSS; HERRING → RED HERRING; VELVET → RED VELVET.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: BE IN CHARGE OF
  • Green: THINGS MADE OF RUBBER
  • Blue: ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENIE IN “ALADDIN”
  • Purple: RED ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

BE IN CHARGE OF

DIRECT · HEAD · LEAD · RUN

Green

THINGS MADE OF RUBBER

BALLOON · ERASER · GALOSH · TIRE

Blue

ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENIE IN “ALADDIN”

BLUE · EARRING · LAMP · WISHES

Purple

RED ___

BULL · CROSS · HERRING · VELVET

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.