A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #687
hints & answers for April 28, 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 April 28, 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 G, M, S and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

GEL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

HAIR PRODUCTS

Reveal all four words
  • GEL
  • MOUSSE
  • SPRAY
  • WAX

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BARE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

AUSTERE

Reveal all four words
  • BARE
  • PLAIN
  • SIMPLE
  • SPARE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

FIBER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CLUES AT A CRIME SCENE

Reveal all four words
  • FIBER
  • FINGERPRINT
  • HAIR
  • TIRE MARK

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BORE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WEARY

Reveal all four words
  • BORE
  • DRAIN
  • EXHAUST
  • TIRE
Show categories only
  • Yellow: HAIR PRODUCTS
  • Green: AUSTERE
  • Blue: CLUES AT A CRIME SCENE
  • Purple: WEARY

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

HAIR PRODUCTS

GEL · MOUSSE · SPRAY · WAX

Green

AUSTERE

BARE · PLAIN · SIMPLE · SPARE

Blue

CLUES AT A CRIME SCENE

FIBER · FINGERPRINT · HAIR · TIRE MARK

Purple

WEARY

BORE · DRAIN · EXHAUST · TIRE

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.