Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a little easier than they’ve been lately. Plus, the purple category is really fun. 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: Vroom!

Green group hint: Pass the ranch dressing.

Blue group hint: Type type type.

Purple group hint: You may have studied this in school.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Under the hood of a car.

Green group: Kinds of salad.

Blue group: Keyboard keys.

Purple group: Starting with figures from Greek mythology.

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

TThe theme is under the hood of a car.

The four answers are alternator, battery, engine and radiator.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is kinds of salad.

The four answers are chopped, Greek, house and wedge.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is keyboard keys.

The four answers are control, escape, shift and space.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starting with figures from Greek mythology.

The four answers are at last (Atlas), herald (Hera), hydrant (Hydra) and tritone (Triton).

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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