A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #704
hints & answers for May 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 May 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, F, G and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BASIS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

RATIONALE

Reveal all four words
  • BASIS
  • FOUNDATION
  • GROUNDS
  • REASON

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CRUST belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

TYPES OF SNOW

Reveal all four words
  • CRUST
  • ICE
  • POWDER
  • SLUSH

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BESS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LAST WORDS OF FAMOUS OPERA TITLES

Reveal all four words
  • BESS
  • BUTTERFLY
  • FLUTE
  • SEVILLE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

DEAL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

REAL ___

Reveal all four words
  • DEAL
  • ESTATE
  • MADRID
  • WORLD

Each entry comes after "REAL" to form a word, expression or name: DEAL → REAL DEAL; ESTATE → REAL ESTATE; MADRID → REAL MADRID; WORLD → REAL WORLD.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: RATIONALE
  • Green: TYPES OF SNOW
  • Blue: LAST WORDS OF FAMOUS OPERA TITLES
  • Purple: REAL ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

RATIONALE

BASIS · FOUNDATION · GROUNDS · REASON

Green

TYPES OF SNOW

CRUST · ICE · POWDER · SLUSH

Blue

LAST WORDS OF FAMOUS OPERA TITLES

BESS · BUTTERFLY · FLUTE · SEVILLE

Purple

REAL ___

DEAL · ESTATE · MADRID · WORLD

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.