Today’s NYT Connections puzzle features an especially fun purple category. 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 in any order.

Green group hint: Enjoy the show.

Blue group hint: Pay up.

Purple group hint: Facial hair.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Haphazardly.

Green group: Ways to receive event tickets.

Blue group: Sections on an invoice.

Purple group: Famous goatees.

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is haphazardly.

The four answers are any old how, at random, helter-skelter and willy-nilly.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is ways to receive event tickets.

The four answers are mail delivery, mobile ticket, print-at-home and will call.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is sections on an invoice.

The four answers are balance due, bill to, order number and unit price.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is famous goatees.

The four answers are billy goat, Colonel Sanders, Doctor Strange and the devil.

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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