A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #654
hints & answers for March 26, 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 26, 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 F, G, N and P. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

FORK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PARTS OF A TABLE SETTING

Reveal all four words
  • FORK
  • GLASS
  • NAPKIN
  • PLATE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

FLEW belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

INCREASED, WITH “UP”

Reveal all four words
  • FLEW
  • ROSE
  • SHOT
  • THRUST

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CARD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

KINDS OF DIGITAL STORAGE

Reveal all four words
  • CARD
  • CLOUD
  • DISK
  • DRIVE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOUNCE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

UNITS OF VOLUME PLUS LETTER

Reveal all four words
  • BOUNCE
  • GALLEON
  • PINOT
  • QUARTZ
Show categories only
  • Yellow: PARTS OF A TABLE SETTING
  • Green: INCREASED, WITH “UP”
  • Blue: KINDS OF DIGITAL STORAGE
  • Purple: UNITS OF VOLUME PLUS LETTER

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

PARTS OF A TABLE SETTING

FORK · GLASS · NAPKIN · PLATE

Green

INCREASED, WITH “UP”

FLEW · ROSE · SHOT · THRUST

Blue

KINDS OF DIGITAL STORAGE

CARD · CLOUD · DISK · DRIVE

Purple

UNITS OF VOLUME PLUS LETTER

BOUNCE · GALLEON · PINOT · QUARTZ

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.