Today's Connections has four hidden groups of four. Start with a gentle nudge and only open more if you need it.
Ready for a fresh puzzle? Take a breath, trust your instincts, and enjoy the sort.
Hint 1: One word from each group
Each of these words belongs to a different group.
- Yellow (easiest): FIDDLE
- Green: ANVIL
- Blue: DIVING
- Purple (hardest): BOTTOMS
Hint 2: A nudge for each group
A gentle push toward each theme, easiest to hardest.
- These all lean toward fussy interference, not fixing anything cleanly.
- Think inside the head, where tiny hardware helps sound travel.
- Each one pairs with a classic alert signal.
- These finish a phrase about what a statue, music, or a snack might have.
Hint 3: Yellow (easiest) group theme
The yellow group is Mess (with).
Hint 4: Green group theme
The green group is Parts Of The Ear.
Hint 5: Blue group theme
The blue group is ___ Bell.
Hint 6: Purple (hardest) group theme
The purple group is Bell ___.
Show all four answers
Mess (with)
FIDDLE, MEDDLE, TINKER, TRIFLE
Parts Of The Ear
ANVIL, CANAL, DRUM, STIRRUP
___ Bell
DIVING, JINGLE, LIBERTY, TACO
Bell ___
BOTTOMS, JAR, PEPPER, TOWER
About this puzzle
- Edited by Wyna Liu
- Groups are listed from easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple).
Connections deep dive
More about today's puzzle. Everything in this section can include the answer.
Why each word belongs in its group, with a short dictionary meaning where one exists.
Yellow (easiest): Mess (with)
- FIDDLE: A violin, a small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held aga...
- MEDDLE: To interfere in or with; to concern oneself with unduly.
- TINKER: Someone who repairs, or attempts repair, on anything mechanical, or who invents such devices; one who tinkers; a tink...
- TRIFLE: (figurative) Anything that is of little importance or worth.
Green: Parts Of The Ear
- ANVIL: A heavy iron block used in the blacksmithing trade as a surface upon which metal can be struck and shaped.
- CANAL: An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
- DRUM: (music) A percussive musical instrument spanned with a thin covering on at least one end for striking, forming an aco...
- STIRRUP: (equestrianism) A ring or hoop suspended by a rope or strap from the saddle, for a horseman's foot while mounting or ...
Blue: ___ Bell
- DIVING: The action of the verb to dive in any sense.
- JINGLE: (broadcasting, advertising, music) A memorable short song, or in some cases a snippet of a popular song with its lyri...
- LIBERTY: The condition of being free.
- TACO: (cooking) A Mexican snack food made of a small tortilla (soft- or hard-shelled) filled with ingredients such as meat,...
Purple (hardest): Bell ___
- BOTTOMS: The bottom (trouser) part of clothing, as in pyjama bottoms, tracksuit bottoms, bikini bottoms.
- JAR: (originally) An earthenware container, either with two or no handles, for holding oil, water, wine, etc., or used for...
- PEPPER: (uncountable) A spice prepared from the fermented, dried, unripe berries of this plant.
- TOWER: Any very tall building or structure; skyscraper.
Play today's Connections at The New York Times
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