NYT “Connections” October 9: Answers and clues for game #486

Things didn't go so well yesterday Connections? Don't worry-Newsweek is there for you.

After Wordle, Connections is the second most popular New York Times Brain teaser. Created in 2023 by crossword editor Wyna Liu, it grew out of a brainstorming session to develop new games and puzzles for publication.

Each week, Liu uses ideas from her everyday experiences to create the game. While she has an official spreadsheet for all her ideas about words and categories, she also keeps a notebook with her where she jots down inspiration as it comes to her.

“Each board has to be made from scratch,” Liu said Newsweek in an exclusive interview. She added that when she sits down to develop the week's games, she consults her notebook and spreadsheet, which act like a “digital sketchpad.”

How do you play “Connections?”

In connections, Players are given a table with 16 words. From there, they then have to categorize the words into four common topic categories. For example from yesterday Connections linked the words “bat,” “pumpkin,” “spider,” and “witch” under “Halloween symbols.”

Players can only guess incorrectly four times before losing the game.

In her Newsweek In the interview, Liu gave some tips that can help players win Connections.

“My best advice is to wait as long as possible before guessing,” Liu said. “Maybe you look at the board and have fully identified the category by seeing five words that could belong in that category.

“Don't try to guess the four words in this category, because even if you know what the fifth element is, you won't know which of the four it might not be,” which would ultimately be a waste.

If you try to find another category first, you'll likely eliminate the words that could belong to more than one group, which ultimately means you're less likely to make a mistake because “your four guesses are extremely quick perish.”

'Connections' #486 Notes for Wednesday October 9th

Newsweek has several hints that can help you with today's task Connections Puzzle.

Yellow category: Words related to fizz.

Green category: Terms associated with another word for “thriving.”

Blue category: What you might read if you love music.

Purple Category: Think about what you use at the table.

“Connections” #486 answers for Wednesday, October 9th

Yellow category: Bubbling

Yellow words: Bubbles, fizz, froth, froth

Green category: BUDS

Green words: Bloom, develop, mature, progress

Blue category: MUSIC RELEASES

Blue words: Billboard, Mojo, Pitchfork, Spin

Purple Category: END WITH DISHES

Purple words: Boilerplate, Buttercup, Jackknife, Witherspoon

Don't worry if you didn't get it. The next Connections The puzzle is available from The New York Times at midnight in your local time zone and Newsweek will be there for you with further information.