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NYT Connections #316 was published on Monday, April 22, 2024. If you are working through the puzzle, the hints below move from general clues to the complete groups and answers. Stop before the spoiler section if you still want to solve it yourself.
Connections #316 word list
The 16 words in the April 22, 2024, puzzle were:
FUND, POOL, WHISKERS, CHUM, MATE, SHADOW, SCRUFF, MUSTY, DANK, BUD, COLD, FUZZ, KITTY, DARK, PAL, POT
Hints for Connections #316
Try these clues in order. The category descriptions become more specific as you go.
Yellow group hint
Look for four informal words meaning friend or companion. One tempting word on the board is associated with money instead.
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Green group hint
Think about a typical basement. Four words describe a basement that is poorly lit, cool, damp, or old-smelling.
Blue group hint
Consider short facial hair. One answer describes the dark appearance that can remain on a face shortly after shaving.
Purple group hint
The last group consists of words for a shared collection of money—for example, money held for a common purpose, wager, or prize.
Spoiler warning: the Connections #316 answers
Everything below reveals the complete solution for April 22, 2024.
Yellow: SLANG FOR FRIEND
- BUD
- CHUM
- MATE
- PAL
These are all familiar informal terms for a friend or companion.
Green: ADJECTIVES FOR A BASEMENT
- COLD
- DANK
- DARK
- MUSTY
Each word describes a characteristic of an unpleasant basement: it may be cold, damp, dark, or filled with a stale smell.
Blue: STUBBLE
- FUZZ
- SCRUFF
- SHADOW
- WHISKERS
Fuzz and scruff can describe short facial hair, while whiskers refers to facial hair more generally. Shadow points to the darkened appearance of very short beard growth, often called a five-o’clock shadow.
Purple: COLLECTION OF MONEY
- FUND
- KITTY
- POOL
- POT
In this group, kitty does not refer to a cat. It means a shared amount of money collected or held for a particular purpose, much like a fund, pool, or pot. The same money-related sense appears in expressions such as a betting kitty or a prize pot.
How to solve the trickiest part
The board contains a particularly convincing cat-related decoy: KITTY, FUZZ, SCRUFF, and WHISKERS. Three of those words do belong together, but the fourth is not kitty. The correct fourth word is SHADOW, completing the facial-hair category.
Once BUD, CHUM, MATE, and PAL are removed as friend terms, the basement adjectives are relatively direct: COLD, DANK, DARK, and MUSTY. The remaining words then confirm the final money group: FUND, KITTY, POOL, and POT.
Was this the April 22 puzzle from another year?
No. This answer guide is for Connections game #316, published April 22, 2024. The New York Times publishes a different Connections puzzle on April 22 in later years, so the puzzle number and year are important when searching the archive.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
What are the answers to NYT Connections #316?
The groups are SLANG FOR FRIEND: BUD, CHUM, MATE, PAL; ADJECTIVES FOR A BASEMENT: COLD, DANK, DARK, MUSTY; STUBBLE: FUZZ, SCRUFF, SHADOW, WHISKERS; and COLLECTION OF MONEY: FUND, KITTY, POOL, POT.
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What does “kitty” mean in Connections #316?
In this puzzle, KITTY means a shared collection of money, such as a fund or betting pool. It is not being used to mean a cat.
When was NYT Connections #316 published?
Connections #316 was published on Monday, April 22, 2024.
The Bottom Line
The key trap in Connections #316 is the apparent cat grouping around KITTY, FUZZ, SCRUFF, and WHISKERS. Move KITTY to the money group, pair SHADOW with the other facial-hair terms, and the full solution falls into place.
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