A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #640
hints & answers for March 12, 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 12, 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 B, E, F and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BUTTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

INGREDIENTS IN CLASSIC POUND CAKE

Reveal all four words
  • BUTTER
  • EGGS
  • FLOUR
  • SUGAR

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
Gentle hint

Picture their usual colour, rather than their purpose.

Show one word

CARDINAL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS THAT ARE RED

Reveal all four words
  • CARDINAL
  • ELMO
  • KETCHUP
  • ROSE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

MONTH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WORDS SAID TO HAVE NO EXACT RHYMES

Reveal all four words
  • MONTH
  • ORANGE
  • PURPLE
  • SILVER

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

COTTON belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ CANDY

Reveal all four words
  • COTTON
  • EYE
  • JOHN
  • ROCK

Each entry comes before "CANDY" to form a word, expression or name: COTTON → COTTON CANDY; EYE → EYE CANDY; JOHN → JOHN CANDY; ROCK → ROCK CANDY.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: INGREDIENTS IN CLASSIC POUND CAKE
  • Green: THINGS THAT ARE RED
  • Blue: WORDS SAID TO HAVE NO EXACT RHYMES
  • Purple: ___ CANDY

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

INGREDIENTS IN CLASSIC POUND CAKE

BUTTER · EGGS · FLOUR · SUGAR

Green

THINGS THAT ARE RED

CARDINAL · ELMO · KETCHUP · ROSE

Blue

WORDS SAID TO HAVE NO EXACT RHYMES

MONTH · ORANGE · PURPLE · SILVER

Purple

___ CANDY

COTTON · EYE · JOHN · ROCK

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.