NYT Connections #416 was the Wednesday, July 31, 2024 puzzle. It presents 16 words that divide into four groups of four. Use the progressively sharper hints below, then continue past the spoiler warning for the complete categories and explanations.
The Connections #416 word grid
The 16 words were:
| LITTLE | BULLDOG | SOUR | KISS |
| HUSKY | RING | STOUT | GRUFF |
| POINTER | HORN | ROUGH | AMBER |
| PORTER | HOARSE | MIDDLE | FRY |
Hints for Connections #416
Start with the broad clues, then use the more specific set if you are still stuck.
Broad hints
- Not very smooth.
- Related to certain extremities.
- What you might see listed at a brewery.
- They can all share the same first word.
More specific hints
- A distinctive voice.
- Digits.
- Beer types.
- Complete the phrase with a country.
Spoilers below: The next section gives every category and word.
Connections #416 answers
| Category | Words | Why they fit |
|---|---|---|
| RASPY | GRUFF, HOARSE, HUSKY, ROUGH | Each can describe a rough, harsh or unpleasant-sounding voice. |
| FINGERS | LITTLE, MIDDLE, POINTER, RING | These are names for fingers or digits. |
| ALE STYLES | AMBER, PORTER, SOUR, STOUT | Each is a beer-style term that can appear on a brewery list. |
| FRENCH ___ | BULLDOG, FRY, HORN, KISS | “French” forms a familiar phrase or name with each word: French bulldog, French fry, French horn and French kiss. |
Which group is the hardest?
The FRENCH ___ set is the most deceptive because the four words do not share a meaning on their own. They become a group only after you supply the same preceding word. RASPY is also easy to overlook: GRUFF, HOARSE, HUSKY and ROUGH can describe people, animals or textures, but their shared connection here is voice quality.
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How to solve a puzzle like #416
- Look for unmistakable sets first. LITTLE, MIDDLE, POINTER and RING are direct finger names, making FINGERS a strong early lock.
- Test parts of speech and contexts. AMBER, PORTER, SOUR and STOUT look like ordinary adjectives or nouns until the brewery context reveals them as styles.
- Watch for words that can take a common partner. BULLDOG, FRY, HORN and KISS all become familiar expressions after “French.”
- Use the remaining words as a consistency check. GRUFF, HOARSE, HUSKY and ROUGH work together as voice descriptors, confirming the final group without forcing an unrelated meaning.
Connections allows up to four mistakes, and its four groups carry different difficulty levels. You can play through NYT Games on desktop or mobile.
Quick Recap
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