Today’s NYT Connections puzzle was a stumper for me. I saw “Tube,” “Gram” and “Book” and thought maybe they referred to the second part of various social media programs — YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. It was a typical Times red herring, though, as that was not where they were going with this one. Read on for hints and today’s Connections answers.

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Not bottoms.

Green group hint: You use it on your computer.

Blue group hint: Think Hamilton, or Annie Get Your Gun.

Purple group hint: Phone would also fit here.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Kinds of tops.

Green group: Software downloads.

Blue group: Elements of a musical.

Purple group: Tele ____.

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is kinds of tops. The four answers are crop, halter, tank and tube.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is software downloads. The four answers are app, driver, extension and plugin.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is elements of a musical. The four answers are book, lyrics, music and orchestration.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is tele ____. The four answers are gram, kinesis, prompter and vision.

CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.

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