NYT Connections #486 was published on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. The puzzle was rated moderate by editorial coverage. Use the color-coded hints below first, then open the complete answer table when you are ready for spoilers.
Hints for Connections #486
Each color points to one category, but the hints deliberately avoid the four answers in each group.
- Yellow: Words associated with bubbling or frothing.
- Green: Verbs meaning to grow, develop or advance.
- Blue: Music-focused magazines and other publications.
- Purple: Words that end with the names of tableware items.
Connections #486 answers
| Color | Category | Four words | How the connection works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | EFFERVESCENCE | BUBBLES, FIZZ, FOAM, FROTH | All describe bubbling, frothing or the resulting foam. |
| Green | BURGEON | BLOSSOM, DEVELOP, MATURE, PROGRESS | Each can mean to grow, develop or move forward. |
| Blue | MUSIC PUBLICATIONS | BILLBOARD, MOJO, PITCHFORK, SPIN | Each is the name of a music publication or music-focused media brand. |
| Purple | ENDING WITH TABLEWARE | BOILERPLATE, BUTTERCUP, JACKKNIFE, WITHERSPOON | The words end in PLATE, CUP, KNIFE and SPOON, respectively. |
Why the purple group is the trap
The purple connection is based on exact word endings rather than the meanings of the full words. That makes it easy to spend too long sorting a tempting music-related entry into the blue group while overlooking the hidden tableware suffixes. After spotting three likely members of a category, check the remaining words letter by letter before submitting.
How difficult was this edition?
TechRadar and Forbes both identified this as game #486, dated October 9, 2024, and described it as a moderate solve. The difficulty label is editorial guidance, not an official New York Times statistic.
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