Spoiler warning: The hints below get progressively more revealing, and the full solution follows. NYT Connections game #450 was published on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Hints for Connections #450
Try each clue before reading the answers. They move from the broad idea of each group toward its word pattern.
- These words relate to forgiving someone or sparing them a consequence.
- These words can express doing something to an excessive degree.
- These are forms of money used in different countries.
- Each word can go before “head.”
Parade published these four hints in this order for the September 3 puzzle: Parade’s Connections #450 hints and answers.
Connections #450 answers
The four categories and their words were reported by both Parade and TechRadar’s contemporaneous report syndicated via Inkl.
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#1 Best Overall
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| ABSOLVE | EXCUSE, PARDON, SAVE, SPARE |
| EXCESSIVELY | BEYOND, EXTRA, OVER, TOO |
| GLOBAL CURRENCIES | POUND, REAL, WON, YEN |
| ___ HEAD | ARROW, BLOCK, FORE, KNUCKLE |
TechRadar’s report also lists the board words and answers: TechRadar’s Connections #450 report, syndicated via Inkl.
Why the groups fit
ABSOLVE
EXCUSE, PARDON, SAVE, and SPARE can all relate to forgiving someone or keeping them from a consequence. Their meanings overlap, but they are not interchangeable in every sentence.
Rank #2
EXCESSIVELY
BEYOND, EXTRA, OVER, and TOO can each convey more than is needed or an excessive amount, depending on how the word is used.
GLOBAL CURRENCIES
POUND, REAL, WON, and YEN are currency names. The words alone do not identify a single country or a particular currency issue; they form the category through their shared role as money names.
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___ HEAD
Put “head” after each word to make ARROWHEAD, BLOCKHEAD, FOREHEAD, and KNUCKLEHEAD.
Where the board can mislead
TechRadar’s writer described first considering whether TOO, WON, and FORE connected as number homophones, and whether some words might fit a “ball” pattern. That reported false start illustrates how familiar associations can compete with the intended groups on this board; it is the writer’s account, not a claim about how every player approached the puzzle.
Rank #4
How the game is structured
Fortnite Insider described Connections as a 16-word puzzle in which players sort the words into four groups of four, with four mistakes allowed. That is the outlet’s description of the format, not a verified statement of current official NYT rules. Fortnite Insider’s September 3, 2024 explainer.
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