NYT Connections game #455 is the Sunday, September 8, 2024 puzzle. Start with the spoiler-safe clues below; the category names and full answer groups follow. Stop before the section that reveals more than you want to see.
The 16 words in Connections #455
FROST, BEACH, PUMP, POPE, RACE, BISHOP, PET SHOP, POUND, HARDY, BEAT, PRIOR, BAKE, THROB, BAD, PREHEAT, PASTOR.
Spoiler-free hints
These clues progress from broad prompts to more revealing nudges. The puzzle uses color-coded categories, and some words can plausibly fit more than one theme.
- Yellow: Think about directions for making a sweet treat.
- Green: Consider what a heart does when you are excited.
- Blue: Look for religious standings or titles.
- Purple: Find words that can go before “BOYS.”
Category names
Spoilers below.
- Yellow: Verbs in a cake recipe
- Green: What a heart does when excited
- Blue: Ecclesiastical titles
- Purple: “___ BOYS”
Connections #455 answers
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Verbs in a cake recipe | BAKE, BEAT, FROST, PREHEAT |
| Green | What a heart does when excited | POUND, PUMP, RACE, THROB |
| Blue | Ecclesiastical titles | BISHOP, PASTOR, POPE, PRIOR |
| Purple | “___ BOYS” | BAD, BEACH, HARDY, PET SHOP |
Why the overlaps are tricky
POUND can sound like a cake-recipe action, but it belongs with the heart words. BEAT also suggests a heartbeat, yet it is part of the cake-recipe group. The exact category wording resolves both tempting overlaps: the green group describes what an excited heart does, while the yellow group is specifically recipe verbs.
#1 Best Overall
Forbes contributor Kris Holt describes the general challenge this way: “There’s only one solution for each puzzle, and you’ll need to be careful when it comes to words that might fit into more than one category.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.One reported solving route
Holt’s account of solving this edition began with a heart-related set, then identified the religious titles and the “___ BOYS” pattern before completing the remaining group by elimination. That is one documented route, not a rule that this order is best for every solver.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
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