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Spoilers below. NYT Connections #456 was the puzzle released on Monday, September 9, 2024—not the different game published on September 9, 2025. Use the hints first, then reveal the grid and answers when you are ready.
Spoiler warning: This guide reveals the hints, categories, and answers for NYT Connections #456, the puzzle published on Monday, September 9, 2024. If you are still solving, start with the progressive hints and stop before the section you do not want to see.
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NYT Connections #456 hints for September 9
Connections asks you to divide 16 words into four groups of four. The categories become more difficult as you move from yellow to purple, so use these clues in order.
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Think of ways someone might become visibly red in the face.
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Green hint
Look for words that can describe an unbroken or uninterrupted sequence.
Blue hint
Think of a selection or assortment of flavors, especially in food or drink service.
Purple hint
These are titles of television sitcoms.
The Connections #456 grid
Here are all 16 words from the September 9 puzzle:
COACH · FLUSH · NONSTOP · FLIGHT · SOLID · PLATTER · FULL HOUSE · GLOW · BURN · STRAIGHT · SAMPLER · BLOSSOM · COMMUNITY · TASTING · CONSECUTIVE · BLUSH
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Connections #456 answers for September 9
Yellow: Get red in the face
BLUSH, BURN, FLUSH, GLOW
Each word can describe the visible color or sensation associated with becoming red in the face. Blush and flush are the most direct matches, while a reddened face may also be described as having a glow or a burn.
Green: Continuous
CONSECUTIVE, NONSTOP, SOLID, STRAIGHT
These words can describe an uninterrupted run or sequence. Something consecutive follows without gaps, while nonstop means without interruption. Solid can refer to an unbroken stretch, and straight can describe a continuous run.
Blue: Flavor assortment
FLIGHT, PLATTER, SAMPLER, TASTING
These terms describe a selection of flavors or items offered for comparison. A flight often presents several drinks or tastes, while a platter offers a selection of foods. A sampler contains multiple small portions, and a tasting centers on trying different flavors. The category is broader than wine terminology: these words can apply to food and drink assortments generally.
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Purple: Sitcoms
BLOSSOM, COACH, COMMUNITY, FULL HOUSE
All four are titles of television sitcoms. Blossom and Full House are family-oriented sitcoms, Community is set around a community college, and Coach centers on a college football coach.
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Several entries encourage tempting but incorrect groupings. FLUSH and FULL HOUSE can pull you toward a poker or card-related connection, but they belong to different categories here: FLUSH is part of “Get red in the face,” while FULL HOUSE is a sitcom title.
FLIGHT and STRAIGHT can also suggest aviation or a sequence-related group. STRAIGHT does belong with “Continuous,” but FLIGHT belongs with the flavor-assortment words. These are useful solving observations, not claims about the puzzle’s official construction.
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More Connections-style puzzles
If you enjoy grouping words into themes, Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! is a physical NYT puzzle book featuring New York Times Games-inspired material, including new variations on Connections. It is a related collection, not a verified reproduction of puzzle #456.
How NYT Connections works
Each daily puzzle presents 16 words. Select four words that share a category and submit the group. You have up to four mistakes, and the goal is to find all four groups without exhausting those chances. The categories are color-coded by difficulty: yellow is generally the most accessible, followed by green, blue, and purple.
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Words may appear to fit more than one group, so the best approach is to test the strongest, most specific connection first and then reconsider the remaining entries. In this puzzle, removing the facial-redness words makes the continuous group easier to see, while the sitcom titles are the final clean set for many players.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
When was NYT Connections #456 released?
NYT Connections #456 was released on September 9, 2024. The September 9, 2025 puzzle was a different game, numbered #821.
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What are the categories in Connections #456?
The four categories are “Get red in the face,” “Continuous,” “Flavor assortment,” and “Sitcoms.”
What is the purple category in Connections #456?
The purple group is BLOSSOM, COACH, COMMUNITY, and FULL HOUSE. They are television sitcom titles.
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The answers to NYT Connections #456, released September 9, 2024, are: BLUSH, BURN, FLUSH, GLOW for “Get red in the face”; CONSECUTIVE, NONSTOP, SOLID, STRAIGHT for “Continuous”; FLIGHT, PLATTER, SAMPLER, TASTING for “Flavor assortment”; and BLOSSOM, COACH, COMMUNITY, FULL HOUSE for “Sitcoms.”
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