Yellow group
Straightforward
Gentle hint
A flourish when the surprise is finally unveiled.
Show one word
BEHOLD belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
"THERE YOU HAVE IT!"
Reveal all four words
- BEHOLD
- PRESTO
- SHAZAM
- VOILÀ
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #1172
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.
#1172
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
Gentle hint
Something you seem naturally good at.
Show one word
FORTE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
KNACK
Reveal all four words
- FORTE
- GIFT
- STRENGTH
- TALENT
Blue group
More challenging
Gentle hint
A single capital letter can represent all four in different settings.
Show one word
PAGE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
WHAT "P" MIGHT STAND FOR
Reveal all four words
- PAGE
- PARK
- PHOSPHORUS
- PIANO
P can mean page, a parking or gear position, phosphorus, or the musical instruction piano.
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
Gentle hint
One short word can introduce all four.
Show one word
CHAIN belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
KEY ___
Reveal all four words
- CHAIN
- LARGO
- LIME
- SIGNATURE
KEY CHAIN, KEY LARGO, KEY LIME and KEY SIGNATURE all begin with KEY.
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
"THERE YOU HAVE IT!"
BEHOLD · PRESTO · SHAZAM · VOILÀ
Green
KNACK
FORTE · GIFT · STRENGTH · TALENT
Blue
WHAT "P" MIGHT STAND FOR
PAGE · PARK · PHOSPHORUS · PIANO
Purple
KEY ___
CHAIN · LARGO · LIME · SIGNATURE
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.