Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, D, D and L. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BLUE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
GLOOMY
Reveal all four words
- BLUE
- DARK
- DOWN
- LOW
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1033
hints & answers for April 9, 2026
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#1033
This reference always shows April 9, 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 B, C, P and R. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BALM belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
OINTMENT
Reveal all four words
- BALM
- CREAM
- PASTE
- RUB
Blue group
More challenging
Gentle hint
Look at the pictures on a horoscope chart.
Show one word
ARCHER belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
ZODIAC SYMBOLS
Reveal all four words
- ARCHER
- FISH
- GOAT
- RAM
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with J, R, S and Y. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
JACK belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
MUSCULAR, MINUS "ED" SOUND
Reveal all four words
- JACK
- RIP
- SHRED
- YOKE
Show categories only
- Yellow: GLOOMY
- Green: OINTMENT
- Blue: ZODIAC SYMBOLS
- Purple: MUSCULAR, MINUS "ED" SOUND
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
GLOOMY
BLUE · DARK · DOWN · LOW
Green
OINTMENT
BALM · CREAM · PASTE · RUB
Blue
ZODIAC SYMBOLS
ARCHER · FISH · GOAT · RAM
Purple
MUSCULAR, MINUS "ED" SOUND
JACK · RIP · SHRED · YOKE
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.
Continue from this date
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.