Both the blue and purple Connections categories today rely on you spotting related words hidden inside of other words. This is perhaps my least favorite kind of Connections group, and it’s even tougher when a puzzle has two categories like this. 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: So tired.

Green group hint: A part of something.

Blue group hint: Check the end of the word, think measurement.

Purple group hint: Check the end of the word, think spying.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Exhausted.

Green group: Segment.

Blue group: Ending in units of length.

Purple group: Ending in synonyms for follow secretly.

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is exhausted.

The four answers are beat, fried, spent and worn out.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is segment.

The four answers are leg, phase, stage and stretch.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is ending in units of length.

The four answers are chamomile (mile), Grinch (inch), hotfoot (foot) and lanyard (yard).

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ending in synonyms for follow secretly.

The four answers are beanstalk (stalk), eyeshadow (shadow), hightail (tail) and soundtrack (track).

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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