NYT Connections puzzle #497 was published on Sunday, October 20, 2024. Start with the hints below if you want to solve it yourself; the complete answer key follows.
Hints for Connections #497
- Yellow: Types of newspaper writing.
- Green: Words for a noisy disturbance.
- Blue: Equipment or parts of a table-tennis setup.
- Purple: Each word sounds like a coordinating conjunction.
Three groups rely on meaning: newspaper writing, noisy disturbances and table-tennis needs. For the last group, focus on pronunciation rather than what the words mean. Possible distractions include ROW, which may suggest rowing, RACKET, which can evoke sports equipment, and TABLE, which might seem newspaper-related.
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Spoiler: October 20, 2024 Connections answers
The complete groups for game #497 are:
- Yellow — Bit of newspaper writing: ARTICLE, COLUMN, FEATURE, STORY
- Green — Noisy disturbance: CLATTER, RACKET, ROW, RUCKUS
- Blue — Table tennis needs: BALL, NET, PADDLE, TABLE
- Purple — Homophones of coordinating conjunctions: BUTT, FORE, OAR, SEW
Why the purple group works
Say the four words aloud: BUTT sounds like “but,” FORE like “for,” OAR like “or,” and SEW like “so.” Those sounds identify the four conjunctions. The other three groups are formed by the words’ shared subjects or meanings.
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PADDLE, SEW, ROW, STORY, OAR, FORE, COLUMN, RACKET, NET, BUTT, FEATURE, BALL, CLATTER, TABLE, RUCKUS, ARTICLE.
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How Connections works
Connections asks players to sort 16 words into four groups of four based on a shared link. The link may involve meaning, subject matter or, as in this puzzle’s purple group, sound. Players can make up to four mistakes, and TechRadar reports that the game is free to play through NYT Games on desktop or mobile.
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Sources
- TechRadar, Marc McLaren, “NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Sunday, October 20 (game #497),” published October 19, 2024.
- Parade, Larry Slawson, “NYT ‘Connections’ Hints and Answers Today, Sunday, October 20,” dated October 20, 2024.
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