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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Spoilers ahead. This guide covers NYT Connections game #451, reported for Wednesday, September 4, 2024—not whichever puzzle is current today. Start with progressive hints below, or jump to the complete answer key when you’re ready.
Progressive hints for Connections #451
Try each nudge before reading the answer key. The hints describe the reported categories rather than clues attributed to the original puzzle setter.
- Look for words that can describe an amount so small it is barely there.
- Imagine a few things someone might buy for a new puppy.
- Think of actions involved in organizing a celebration.
- Consider names for symbols you might see on a keyboard.
The 16 words
CATER, BOWL, THROW, STAR, CARET, TRACE, CRATE, HASH, SHRED, BED, BRACE, TOUCH, PLAN, HINT, COLLAR, HOST.
Complete answer key
The published solution groups the words by very small amounts, puppy purchases, party-helping actions, and keyboard-symbol names.
#1 Best Overall
| Group | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Very small amount | HINT, SHRED, TOUCH, TRACE |
| Green | Puppy purchases | BED, BOWL, COLLAR, CRATE |
| Blue | Help put on a party | CATER, HOST, PLAN, THROW |
| Purple | Symbols on a keyboard | BRACE, CARET, HASH, STAR |
Why the groups fit
Yellow: very small amount
A hint, a shred, a touch, or a trace can each mean a small amount, depending on context. The connection is not one narrow technical definition; it is how these words are used to describe “a little.”
Green: puppy purchases
A bed, bowl, collar, and crate are things someone might buy when preparing for a puppy.
Blue: help put on a party
You can cater, host, plan, or throw a party. THROW belongs here in the expression “throw a party.”
Purple: symbols on a keyboard
Brace, caret, hash, and star are names associated with keyboard symbols. The category relies on symbol names rather than a shared everyday activity.
A practical way to solve this grid
Connections asks players to divide sixteen words into four groups of four with a shared theme. The link may come from a direct definition, a word’s use in a phrase, wordplay, or a less obvious association. As Graham Todd, Tim Merino, Sam Earle, and Julian Togelius write in “Missed Connections: Lateral Thinking Puzzles for Large Language Models”, solving can require both knowledge of definitions and typical usage and “lateral or abstract thinking.”
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Test words in context. Ask whether a candidate fits the category in a phrase or ordinary usage, as THROW does with “throw a party.”
- Check the count. A proposed group needs exactly four words, not merely several plausible matches.
- Recheck the leftovers. A convincing set should leave twelve words that can still form three coherent groups. If it strands words, reconsider the category.
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