Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #994) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

NYT Connections today (game #994) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #994) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #994) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #994, are…

The first thing that popped out from today’s tiles was LICORICE PIZZA and AIRPLANE, which as well as being one of those THINGS YOU DON'T EAT THAT END IN FOODS and a VACATION EMOJI respectively are also the titles of very good movies.

Were there two more classic comedy films lurking among the 16 tiles? Is HARD HAT a 1980s comedy starring Chevy Chase? Err, no.

Abandoning my movie rabbit hole, I made a bit of a mess of assembling the LITTLE BITE group by muddling it up with things you don’t actually eat, but I got there eventually.

The four VACATION EMOJI somehow eluded me — possibly because I use the SMILING FACE WITH SUNGLASSES emoji on a daily basis to indicate that “yes, I am happy with that”, “oh, alright then” and “OK, if we must”.