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Need a nudge on Connections #296, published Tuesday, April 2, 2024? Start with the four hints below and stop before the spoiler warning if you want to solve it yourself. The complete groups and answers follow.
Hints for Connections #296
These hints move from the category idea toward the solution. Read only as far as you need.
- Yellow: Think of actions that push or prod something.
- Green: Each item can name a snake.
- Blue: Think of familiar story elements from Cinderella.
- Purple: These are shapes you might see on a pasta box.
Spoiler warning: April 2, 2024 Connections answers
The full solution to puzzle #296 is below.
| Color | Category | Words | Why they fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | THRUST | JAB, POKE, PROD, STICK | Each can describe a quick or forceful push or jab. |
| Green | KINDS OF SNAKES | ADDER, BOA, MAMBA, MOCCASIN | Each is a snake name. |
| Blue | SEEN IN “CINDERELLA” | BALL, PRINCE, PUMPKIN, SLIPPER | Each is a character or familiar element of the fairy tale. |
| Purple | PASTA SHAPES | BOWTIE, ELBOW, TUBE, WHEEL | Each names a pasta shape. |
These four groups are reported for the April 2, 2024 puzzle by Forbes and MobileStalk. No puzzle-specific solve-rate or difficulty figure is established here.
How Connections works
The New York Times Help Center explains that players receive 16 words and must sort them into four groups of four that share a connection. Groups are color-coded yellow, green, blue and purple; yellow is the easiest and purple the trickiest. The intended challenge includes words that may seem to fit more than one category, although each puzzle has one solution. The Times says editors curate words and categories using the Oxford Dictionary. See the official Connections help page for the rules.
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Can you replay the April 2, 2024 puzzle?
According to the New York Times Help Center as checked October 8, 2026, Connections is free to play without registration on the Games website and listed apps. Its archive goes back to June 12, 2023, but access is limited to All Access and Games subscribers. Archive play affects some statistics but not daily streaks, and a completed archive puzzle cannot be replayed. Check the Times’ Connections guidance for current access details, which may change.
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