Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
Approach a meal as though you have not eaten all day.
Show one word
BOLT belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
EAT VORACIOUSLY
Reveal all four words
- BOLT
- GORGE
- INHALE
- SCARF
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #988
hints & answers
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#988
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with C, C, P and V. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
CHRISTMAS TREE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
CONICAL THINGS
Reveal all four words
- CHRISTMAS TREE
- CONE
- PARTY HAT
- VOLCANO
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, F, M and P. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BLUFF belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
POSE
Reveal all four words
- BLUFF
- FRONT
- MASQUERADE
- POSTURE
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, M, N and W. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BLARNEY STONE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SETTINGS FOR A KISS
Reveal all four words
- BLARNEY STONE
- MISTLETOE
- NEW YEAR'S EVE
- WEDDING
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
EAT VORACIOUSLY
BOLT · GORGE · INHALE · SCARF
Green
CONICAL THINGS
CHRISTMAS TREE · CONE · PARTY HAT · VOLCANO
Blue
POSE
BLUFF · FRONT · MASQUERADE · POSTURE
Purple
SETTINGS FOR A KISS
BLARNEY STONE · MISTLETOE · NEW YEAR'S EVE · WEDDING
Make the connection
Four groups. Just enough help.
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. Each group shares something: a meaning, a phrase, a sound, or an unexpected bit of wordplay.
Start with the group that has you stuck. Open its hint, try again, and reveal more only when you need it. Nothing you open will uncover a different group.
Before you spend another guess
- Find all four. Three convincing words can still be a trap. Look for a fourth that fits the same rule.
- Change the meaning. A word can be a noun, a verb, a name, or part of a phrase. Try reading it another way.
- Leave room for overlap. If five words seem to fit, test which one could belong to another group.
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.