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This archive guide covers the April 15, 2024 New York Times Connections puzzle, game #309—not a puzzle published today. Start with the spoiler-light hints below, then open the full answer set and explanations when you’re ready.
April 15, 2024 Connections #309 hints
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four based on a shared link. If you want a nudge before seeing the answers, consider these clues:
- One group consists of things babies do. Read one word as an action.
- Another group is about making something up in the moment.
- Look for four words that can describe an outside or a lack of depth.
- The final group shares a word that follows each entry in a familiar phrase.
NYT says its Connections Companion is a place to read hints and comments, but community comments may contain spoilers. The game is also available through NYT Games web access; the Help Center lists the NYT News App and The Athletic as other routes. See the NYT Help Center’s Connections overview before visiting community discussion if you want to avoid answer reveals.
What are the Connections answers for April 15?
The reported solution for April 15, 2024, game #309, is below. The exact groupings are attributed to dated answer-guide coverage; the explanations show how each set fits its theme.
#1 Best Overall
| Category | Words | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow — INVENT AS YOU GO | AD-LIB, FREESTYLE, IMPROV, MAKE UP | Ways to improvise or create spontaneously. |
| Green — THINGS BABIES DO | BABBLE, COO, CRAWL, NURSE | Behaviors associated with babies; NURSE is used as a verb. |
| Blue — SUPERFICIAL | COSMETIC, EXTERNAL, SHALLOW, SURFACE | Words associated with the outside or with a lack of depth. |
| Purple — ____ EFFECT | BUTTERFLY, DOMINO, PLACEBO, SIDE | Each completes a familiar phrase ending in “effect.” |
Why the four groups fit
Inventing spontaneously
AD-LIB, FREESTYLE, IMPROV, and MAKE UP all point to producing something without a fixed script or plan. “Make up” is the less obvious entry: here it means invent, not apply cosmetics.
Things babies do
BABBLE, COO, and CRAWL are recognizable baby behaviors. NURSE belongs when read as a verb: a baby nurses.
Rank #2
Superficial or on the outside
COSMETIC and EXTERNAL can refer to what is outward rather than fundamental. SHALLOW and SURFACE likewise suggest limited depth or the outermost layer.
Phrases ending in “effect”
The four pairings are butterfly effect, domino effect, placebo effect, and side effect. The shared link is phrase completion rather than a single synonym or action.
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One clear way to work through the reported groupings is to start with the direct action cluster, then move toward the more abstract links:
- Group BABBLE, COO, CRAWL, and NURSE, checking that NURSE works as a verb.
- Match AD-LIB, FREESTYLE, IMPROV, and MAKE UP as spontaneous creation.
- Compare COSMETIC, EXTERNAL, SHALLOW, and SURFACE through their outside-or-depth senses.
- Use the shared completion “effect” to connect BUTTERFLY, DOMINO, PLACEBO, and SIDE.
This is an explanatory solve sequence, not a claim about an official color order or an independently reproduced game session. No official solve-rate data or official difficulty ranking specific to #309 is established in the cited coverage.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Connections works
Each Connections board presents 16 words to be divided into four groups of four. The relationship may be a shared meaning, a type of behavior, or a less direct association such as completing familiar phrases. A 2024 paper describing the game format likewise identifies the 16-word, four-groups-of-four structure: Missed Connections: Lateral Thinking Puzzles for Large Language Models.
Quick Recap
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