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This is the answer guide for NYT Connections puzzle #268, published March 5, 2024—not a later March 5 puzzle. If you want to solve it yourself, start with the spoiler-free hints below; the full groups and answers follow.
Hints for Connections #268
Try grouping the sixteen words before reading the category reveals. The clues below move from broad nudges to the category names.
Light hints
- One group consists of four famous singers.
- One group contains words that can mean a way of doing something.
- One group uses words that can describe the likelihood of success.
- One group completes the same phrase after the word “living.”
Category reveals
- Yellow: Pop megastars
- Green: Method
- Blue: Unlikely, as chances
- Purple: Living ___
Connections #268 answers
Spoilers: The table gives all four categories and their words.
| Color | Category | Words | Why they fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Pop megastars | GRANDE, MARS, STYLES, SWIFT | Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, and Taylor Swift. |
| Green | Method | CHANNEL, MEANS, MEDIUM, VEHICLE | Each can refer to a method or means of doing or conveying something. |
| Blue | Unlikely, as chances | OUTSIDE, REMOTE, SLIM, SMALL | Each can describe a low likelihood: outside, remote, slim, or small chances. |
| Purple | Living ___ | LARGE, LEGEND, PROOF, ROOM | They complete “living large,” “living legend,” “living proof,” and “living room.” |
How to approach this grid
Several words can plausibly fit more than one idea, so look for the tightest shared connection rather than settling on the first pair that seems to work. The singer surnames and names make a clear set; the phrase pattern “living ___” can help identify another. Then check whether the remaining words form the method and likelihood groups.
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The puzzle number is useful when searching for this archived grid: March 5 recurs each year, while the date alone does not identify a specific Connections puzzle.
Quick Recap
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