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NYT Connections game #509, published Friday, November 1, 2024, groups 16 words into four categories. Start with the spoiler-controlled hints below; the complete groups and answers appear farther down.
Hints for Connections #509
Try each clue before checking the word lists. The categories become progressively more specific.
- Yellow: Progress slowly.
- Green: Things you might say when ordering beer at a bar.
- Blue: A unit or shape of an expanded cheesy corn snack.
- Purple: Each answer can precede “effect.”
The 16 words in the grid
The puzzle’s words were:
- DRAG
- DRAFT
- DOODLE
- DOMINO
- BALL
- BUTTERFLY
- CURL
- CRAWL
- PUFF
- INCH
- HALO
- BOTTLE
- TAP
- PLACEBO
- CAN
- CREEP
Connections #509 answers
Here are the four completed groups. Every word belongs to exactly one category in the published solution.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | PROGRESS SLOWLY | CRAWL, CREEP, DRAG, INCH |
| Green | WAYS TO ORDER A BEER | BOTTLE, CAN, DRAFT, TAP |
| Blue | CHEESY CORN SNACK UNIT | BALL, CURL, DOODLE, PUFF |
| Purple | ___ EFFECT | BUTTERFLY, DOMINO, HALO, PLACEBO |
How to solve this grid without getting trapped
Lock in the slow-movement verbs
CRAWL, CREEP, DRAG and INCH all describe making slow progress. They form the most direct set, but remember that “drag” can also look like a general action rather than movement.
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Read the beer terms as ordering language
BOTTLE, CAN, DRAFT and TAP are all natural ways to specify a beer. “Draft” and “tap” are especially useful together, while “bottle” and “can” identify the container.
Recognize the snack shapes
BALL, CURL, DOODLE and PUFF are names for pieces or shapes associated with expanded cheesy corn snacks. This is the group most likely to remain hidden until the beer words are removed.
Test the phrase before the word
For the purple category, place each candidate before “effect”: butterfly effect, domino effect, halo effect and placebo effect. The grammatical phrase is the key, not a shared physical meaning.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why #509 feels deceptive
The grid relies on words that can suggest more than one idea. DRAG may resemble an action rather than a slow-progress synonym, while TAP can be read as a verb or as a beer-order term. The strongest method is to compare candidates by both meaning and how naturally they complete a phrase. Solver commentary published by Forbes noted that spotting BUTTERFLY and DOMINO helped reveal the purple set; the yellow group was comparatively easy, while the blue and green groups required more interpretation.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Quick spoiler-free solving routine
- Scan for four-word sets with a precise shared meaning.
- Check whether a suspected word has a more specific phrase or usage elsewhere.
- Use the broad hints: slow movement, beer orders, snack pieces and “___ effect.”
- Submit only after each candidate group has four words and no word depends on an awkward interpretation.
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