Issue #497 Sun 20 Oct
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — October 20, 2024
A steady morning routine for the sharp-eyed. This grid balances straightforward clusters with a few linguistic detours that demand a second look.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The ink-stained fingers after flipping through the Sunday supplement.
Journalism components
Direct synonyms
Members are 5–7 letters; first letters A, C, F, S.
BIT OF NEWSPAPER WRITING
One is ARTICLE.
ARTICLE · COLUMN · FEATURE · STORY
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
The neighbor upstairs dragging furniture across the floor at midnight.
Auditory disturbances
Direct synonyms
Members are 3–7 letters; first letters C, R.
NOISY DISTURBANCE
One is CLATTER.
CLATTER · RACKET · ROW · RUCKUS
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
A basement recreation room with a low-hanging fluorescent light.
Recreational sporting equipment
Thematic set
Members are 3–6 letters; first letters B, N, P, T.
TABLE TENNIS NEEDS
One is BALL.
BALL · NET · PADDLE · TABLE
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
Reading aloud until the words sound like something else entirely.
Linguistic play
Aural equivalents
Members are 3–4 letters; first letters B, F, O, S.
HOMOPHONES OF COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
One is BUTT.
BUTT · FORE · OAR · SEW
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
BIT OF NEWSPAPER WRITINGARTICLE · COLUMN · FEATURE · STORY
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Reveal the green group
NOISY DISTURBANCECLATTER · RACKET · ROW · RUCKUS
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Reveal the blue group
TABLE TENNIS NEEDSBALL · NET · PADDLE · TABLE
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Reveal the violet group
HOMOPHONES OF COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONSBUTT · FORE · OAR · SEW
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on October 20, 2024. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for October 20, 2024, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on October 20, 2024?
NYT Connections on October 20, 2024 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on October 20, 2024?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #497?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words