A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #629
hints & answers for March 1, 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 March 1, 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 H, L, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

HORSESHOE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ASSOCIATED WITH GOOD LUCK

Reveal all four words
  • HORSESHOE
  • LADYBUG
  • PENNY
  • SHAMROCK

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

TOLLBOOTH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

TO-BO- COMPOUND WORDS

Reveal all four words
  • TOLLBOOTH
  • TOMBOY
  • TOOLBOX
  • TOWBOAT

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

FIDDLER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BROADWAY MUSICALS, FAMILIARLY

Reveal all four words
  • FIDDLER
  • MERRILY
  • PHANTOM
  • SUNSET

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DRUGSTORE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WORDS BEFORE “COWBOY” IN FILM AND MUSIC

Reveal all four words
  • DRUGSTORE
  • MIDNIGHT
  • RHINESTONE
  • SPACE
Show categories only
  • Yellow: ASSOCIATED WITH GOOD LUCK
  • Green: TO-BO- COMPOUND WORDS
  • Blue: BROADWAY MUSICALS, FAMILIARLY
  • Purple: WORDS BEFORE “COWBOY” IN FILM AND MUSIC

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

ASSOCIATED WITH GOOD LUCK

HORSESHOE · LADYBUG · PENNY · SHAMROCK

Green

TO-BO- COMPOUND WORDS

TOLLBOOTH · TOMBOY · TOOLBOX · TOWBOAT

Blue

BROADWAY MUSICALS, FAMILIARLY

FIDDLER · MERRILY · PHANTOM · SUNSET

Purple

WORDS BEFORE “COWBOY” IN FILM AND MUSIC

DRUGSTORE · MIDNIGHT · RHINESTONE · SPACE

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.