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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Spoilers ahead. This guide is for the Friday, September 6, 2024 NYT Connections puzzle, game #453—not the different puzzle published on September 6, 2025. Start with the hints below if you want to solve it yourself, then open the complete answer groups.
Hints for Connections #453
- Yellow: Four words that can describe how much or how many.
- Green: Four words that can mean an occurrence, situation, or subject.
- Blue: Four items you might receive through the mail.
- Purple: Think of four different meanings of “spring.”
The 16 words
AMOUNT, COUNT, NUMBER, TOTAL, AFFAIR, EPISODE, EVENT, MATTER, BILL, CARD, CATALOG, LETTER, BOUNCE, COIL, GEYSER, SEASON.
Connections #453 answers
The answer groups and category labels below are reported in a contemporary Yahoo-hosted guide; a later archive guide confirms the game number, date, word list, and the first two groupings.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | QUANTITY | AMOUNT, COUNT, NUMBER, TOTAL |
| Green | INCIDENT | AFFAIR, EPISODE, EVENT, MATTER |
| Blue | THINGS RECEIVED IN THE MAIL | BILL, CARD, CATALOG, LETTER |
| Purple | WHAT “SPRING” MIGHT REFER TO | BOUNCE, COIL, GEYSER, SEASON |
Why the groups fit
Yellow: QUANTITY
AMOUNT, COUNT, NUMBER, and TOTAL all express how much or how many.
#1 Best Overall
Green: INCIDENT
AFFAIR, EPISODE, EVENT, and MATTER can each describe something that happened or a situation; “matter” can also mean a subject under discussion.
Blue: THINGS RECEIVED IN THE MAIL
A BILL, CARD, CATALOG, or LETTER can arrive in the mail.
Rank #2
Purple: WHAT “SPRING” MIGHT REFER TO
This group relies on different senses of “spring,” not synonyms: BOUNCE suggests a rebound, COIL is a spring-shaped object, GEYSER is a natural water source, and SEASON is springtime.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which clue is the trickiest?
The first two groups connect through fairly direct meanings: quantity words and words for an incident or occurrence. The mail group is also concrete. Purple is the wordplay pivot: its four answers point to distinct meanings associated with “spring.”
Quick Recap
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