Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
What would you call a gathering of creatures?
Show one word
GAGGLE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
ANIMAL GROUP NAMES
Reveal all four words
- GAGGLE
- PACK
- POD
- PRIDE
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1009
hints & answers for March 16, 2026
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#1009
This reference always shows March 16, 2026. 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.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with G, M, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
GLACIER belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING SLOW
Reveal all four words
- GLACIER
- MOLASSES
- SLOTH
- TRAFFIC
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with C, T, W and W. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
CARTWRIGHT belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SILENT "W"
Reveal all four words
- CARTWRIGHT
- TWO
- WRATH
- WRESTLE
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with A, E, E and O. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
ANY belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE STATE ABBREVIATIONS
Reveal all four words
- ANY
- EMMY
- ENVY
- OKAY
Show categories only
- Yellow: ANIMAL GROUP NAMES
- Green: THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING SLOW
- Blue: SILENT "W"
- Purple: WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE STATE ABBREVIATIONS
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
ANIMAL GROUP NAMES
GAGGLE · PACK · POD · PRIDE
Green
THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING SLOW
GLACIER · MOLASSES · SLOTH · TRAFFIC
Blue
SILENT "W"
CARTWRIGHT · TWO · WRATH · WRESTLE
Purple
WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE STATE ABBREVIATIONS
ANY · EMMY · ENVY · OKAY
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.
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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.