A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #643
hints & answers for March 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 March 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 B, B, N and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BARB belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SHARP PROTRUSION

Reveal all four words
  • BARB
  • BRISTLE
  • NEEDLE
  • SPINE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BRIDGE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FEATURES OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS

Reveal all four words
  • BRIDGE
  • NECK
  • PEG
  • STRING

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CHARGE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LITIGATION VERBS

Reveal all four words
  • CHARGE
  • MOVE
  • SERVE
  • SUE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

MAY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

IN “STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT”

Reveal all four words
  • MAY
  • MIGHT
  • TONIGHT
  • WISH
Show categories only
  • Yellow: SHARP PROTRUSION
  • Green: FEATURES OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
  • Blue: LITIGATION VERBS
  • Purple: IN “STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT”

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

SHARP PROTRUSION

BARB · BRISTLE · NEEDLE · SPINE

Green

FEATURES OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS

BRIDGE · NECK · PEG · STRING

Blue

LITIGATION VERBS

CHARGE · MOVE · SERVE · SUE

Purple

IN “STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT”

MAY · MIGHT · TONIGHT · WISH

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.