The four groups in New York Times Connections puzzle #501, published October 24, 2024, are LINEUP, NYT OFFERINGS, THINGS MADE BY FOLDING PAPER, and FRENCH WORDS. The answer key below is attributed to Try Hard Guides’ answer page for that date.
Connections #501 answers for October 24, 2024
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| LINEUP | BILL, PROGRAM, SCHEDULE, SLATE |
| NYT OFFERINGS | AUDIO, COOKING, GAMES, NEWS |
| THINGS MADE BY FOLDING PAPER | AIRPLANE, CRANE, FAN, FORTUNE TELLER |
| FRENCH WORDS | ADIEU, BELLE, PAIN, TEMPS |
These are the exact category labels and word sets listed by Try Hard Guides’ October 24, 2024 answer guide.
Why the words fit
LINEUP
BILL, PROGRAM, SCHEDULE, and SLATE can each refer to an arranged list or planned sequence. The connection is broader than one particular kind of event: a bill or slate can list people or items, while a program or schedule lays out what is planned.
NYT OFFERINGS
AUDIO, COOKING, GAMES, and NEWS are labels for New York Times offerings. Here, the shared link is the publisher rather than a synonym or a common word meaning.
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THINGS MADE BY FOLDING PAPER
AIRPLANE, CRANE, FAN, and FORTUNE TELLER are familiar objects or shapes made by folding paper. “Fortune teller” refers to the folded paper game, not a person who predicts the future.
FRENCH WORDS
ADIEU, BELLE, PAIN, and TEMPS are French vocabulary words. Their meanings are, respectively, farewell, beautiful or lovely (feminine), bread, and time or weather, depending on context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Connections works
Connections presents sixteen words and asks players to sort them into four groups of four based on a shared theme. You select four words and submit a guess; the cited answer guide says players can make up to four mistakes. A group may hinge on a definition, common usage, or a less direct association, and words that seem to fit together can function as distractors. The task is described similarly in the 2024 academic paper Missed Connections: Lateral Thinking Puzzles for Large Language Models.
Quick Recap
Best Value
A practical way to check a possible group
- State the connection precisely. Decide whether the words share a meaning, belong to a named set, or represent examples of the same thing.
- Test all four words. A theme that fits three words but requires a stretch for the fourth is probably not the intended group.
- Watch for a different level of association. Some groups use a publisher or a paper-folding object rather than a direct synonym, so consider both literal and contextual links.
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