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Spoilers ahead: Here are progressive hints for NYT Connections game #486, followed by the four category answers and their words. This puzzle was published Wednesday, October 9, 2024.
Hints for Connections #486
Try the clues in order and stop when you have enough to solve the board.
- Yellow: What feature do carbonated drinks share?
- Green: Find a verb that can mean to grow or advance.
- Blue: These are names of music publications; Rolling Stone is another example.
- Purple: Each word ends with the name of a dining-related item.
Answers for October 9, 2024
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | EFFERVESCENCE | BUBBLES, FIZZ, FOAM, FROTH |
| Green | BURGEON | BLOSSOM, DEVELOP, MATURE, PROGRESS |
| Blue | MUSIC PUBLICATIONS | BILLBOARD, MOJO, PITCHFORK, SPIN |
| Purple | ENDING WITH TABLEWARE | BOILERPLATE, BUTTERCUP, JACKKNIFE, WITHERSPOON |
Why the purple group is tricky
The purple words end in plate, cup, knife, and spoon. PITCHFORK looks like it could join them because it ends with a piece of tableware, but it belongs to the blue group: Pitchfork is a music publication. That overlap is the board’s main trap.
Quick Recap
#1 Best Overall
How the four connections work
- Yellow: BUBBLES, FIZZ, FOAM, and FROTH are terms associated with effervescence.
- Green: BLOSSOM, DEVELOP, MATURE, and PROGRESS can each describe growing or advancing.
- Blue: BILLBOARD, MOJO, PITCHFORK, and SPIN are music publications.
- Purple: BOILERPLATE, BUTTERCUP, JACKKNIFE, and WITHERSPOON end in words for tableware.
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