Today’s Connections Answer: Sep. 30 hints

Whether you need a nod in the right direction or the actual answers, we can help.

Connections game name and logo over a purple background
Image via The New York Times | Edited by Dot Esports

Trying to find the connections in a game of Connections might be tricky depending on how much the categories of a certain day differ from our vocabulary. If you need a nod in the right direction to figure out the answers, you have come to the right place.

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The New York Times launched Connections in mid-2023, and the game has quickly gained popularity as a daily activity. Each day, the game presents sixteen different words in a 4×4 grid. Your goal is to find the eponymous connections between them. They are split into four categories, but you don’t know which categories these are when you start playing; you must look at all the words and try to deduce yourself.

To guess, simply select the four words you think are grouped together and click the Submit button. Doing so, you get feedback from the game on whether it was a correct guess or it cost you a “life.” You have a maximum of three mistakes to make each day, and making a fourth mistake means you lose.

With a correct guess, the selected words are removed from the “pool” and grouped together to reveal the name of their category. The four categories are color-coded in yellow, green, blue, and purple, where yellow is traditionally the most straightforward and purple is the trickiest.

Keep reading to find a few hints, the categories, and the answers for today’s Connections. Each of them is split in a different section, so as to not spoil the answers unintentionally.

Hints for today’s Connections (Sep. 30)

A few hints for today’s categories of Connections (#477) are:

  • 🟨 Yellow group: culinary terms
  • 🟩 Green group: fragrance
  • 🟦 Blue group: dog people
  • πŸŸͺ Purple group: sound like cities around the globe

We don’t want to make it too simple or obvious at first for those who only need a nod in the right direction. But if those still don’t ring a bell, you might need the actual names of each category.

That is where the next section comes in. Keep reading to learn more.

Today’s Connections categories (Sep. 30)

The categories that connect today’s words in Connections (#477) are:

  • 🟨 Yellow group: cook with heat and water
  • 🟩 Green group: common perfume ingredients
  • 🟦 Blue group: characters with pet dogs
  • πŸŸͺ Purple group: capital city homophones

Knowing the categories might give away most or all the answers, but we know that sometimes it can still be tricky to figure out which ones go where.

If you’re still unsure and don’t have any more room for mistakes, check out the actual answers for each category below.

Today’s Connections answers (Sep. 30)

The answers to today’s Connections puzzle (#477) are:

  • 🟨 Cook with heat and water: BLANCH, BOIL, POACH, STEAM
  • 🟩 Common perfume ingredients:Β AMBERGRIS, MUSK, ROSE, VANILLA
  • 🟦 Characters with pet dogs:Β CHARLIE, DOROTHY, SHAGGY, WALLACE
  • πŸŸͺ Capital city homophones:Β KETO, ROAM, SOPHIA, SOUL

Past Connections answers

Sep. 29 (#476)

  • 🟨 Make good on, as a promise: FULFILL, HONOR, KEEP, UPHOLD
  • 🟩 Bedding: BLANKET, SHAM, SHEET, THROW
  • 🟦 Actions in card games: DISCARD, DRAW, PASS, PLAY
  • πŸŸͺ Cabinet departments: ENERGY, JUSTICE, LABOR, STATE

Sep. 28 (#475)

  • 🟨 Composite: BLEND, COMPOUND, CROSS, HYBRID
  • 🟩 Embed: LODGE, PLANT, STICK, WEDGE
  • 🟦 Items in a Monopoly box: DEED, HOTEL, HOUSE, TOKEN
  • πŸŸͺ ___ control: BIRTH, CRUISE, QUALITY, REMOTE

Sep. 27 (#474)

  • 🟨 Area of high ground: BANK, DUNE, HILL, MOUND
  • 🟩 Significance: GRAVITY, IMPORT, SUBSTANCE, WEIGHT
  • 🟦 Actions in fantasy sports: BENCH, DRAFT, START, TRADE
  • πŸŸͺ Sci-fi movies, with “The”: ABYSS, FLY, MATRIX, THING

Sep. 26 (#473)

  • 🟨 Decorative edge: BORDER, FRILL, FRINGE, TRIM
  • 🟩 Increase, in a way: GROW, MOUNT, SWELL, WAX
  • 🟦 Specifications for a bartender: DRY, NEAT, STRAIGHT, VIRGIN
  • πŸŸͺ String ___: BEAN, BIKINI, CHEESE, THEORY

Sep. 25 (#472)

  • 🟨 Trio of sports achievements: HAT TRICK, THREEPEAT, TRIFECTA, TRIPLE CROWN
  • 🟩 Needs for painting a room: DROP CLOTH, PAINT, ROLLER, TAPE
  • 🟦 Food named after cities: BROIL, CHEESESTEAK, SPROUTS, WINGS
  • πŸŸͺ ___ derby: DEMOLITION, HOME RUN, KENTUCKY, SOAP BOX

Sep. 24 (#471)

  • 🟨 Inspired: CREATIVE, FRESH, NOVEL, ORIGINAL
  • 🟩 Procure in advance: BOOK, CHARTER, RESERVE, SECURE
  • 🟦 Bit of party decoration: BALLOON, BANNER, CONFETTI, GARLAND
  • πŸŸͺ Online personality: AMBASSADOR, INFLUENCER, MODEL, STREAMER

Sep. 23 (#470)

  • 🟨 Not smooth, as terrain: BUMPY, ROUGH, RUGGED, UNEVEN
  • 🟩 Bit of land for growing: BED, PARCEL, PATCH, PLOT
  • 🟦 Member of a cartoon duo: CHIP, ROCKY, SCRATCHY, STITCH
  • πŸŸͺ ___ Park: AMUSEMENT, NATIONAL, PARALLEL, SOUTH

Sep. 22 (#469)

  • 🟨 Color types: GRAYSCALE, NEON, NEUTRAL, PASTEL
  • 🟩 File menu options: NEW, OPEN, PRINT, SAVE
  • 🟦 Chance to win a prize: DRAWING, LOTTERY, POOL, RAFFLE
  • πŸŸͺ What “bronze” might mean: ALLOY, SCULPTURE, SUNTAN, THIRD

Sep. 21 (#468)

  • 🟨 Clairvoyant: MEDIUM, MYSTIC, ORACLE, PSYCHIC
  • 🟩 Special edition adjectives: COLLECTIBLE, EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED. RARE
  • 🟦 “Great job!”: IMPRESSIVE, NICE, PROPS, WELL DONE
  • πŸŸͺ Extremely: AWFUL, BLOODY, REAL, WAY

Sep. 20 (#467)

  • 🟨 Presume: FIGURE, IMAGINE, SUSPECT, THINK
  • 🟩 Somebody: CHARACTER, INDIVIDUAL, PARTY, PERSON
  • 🟦 Characters in “The Empire Strikes Back”, familiarly: BOBA, CHEWIE, EMPEROR, SOLO
  • πŸŸͺ Words after “kitty”: CAT, CORNER, HAWK, LITTER

Sep. 19 (#466)

  • 🟨 Prefix meaning “very”: EXTRA, HYPER, OVER, SUPER
  • 🟩 Kinds of parties: BIRTHDAY, COCKTAIL, DINNER, SURPRISE
  • 🟦 PBS shows: FRONTLINE, MASTERPIECE, NATURE, NOVA
  • πŸŸͺ Places in France: ANGERS, CHAMPAGNE, NICE, REUNION

Sep. 18 (#465)

  • 🟨 Gathering spot outside a residence: DECK, PORCH, STOOP, YARD
  • 🟩 Lowdown: DISH, DOPE, INFO, SCOOP
  • 🟦 Kinds of reels: BLOOPER, DEMO, HIGHLIGHT, SIZZLE
  • πŸŸͺ Cartoon dogs minus “Y”: DROOP, GOOF, LAD, SNOOP

Sep. 17 (#464)

  • 🟨 Get excited, with “up”: AMP, FIRE, HYPE, PSYCH
  • 🟩 Kinds of shoes: FLAT, MULE, PUMP, SLIDE
  • 🟦 Legislative roles: CHAIR, LEADER, SPEAKER, WHIP
  • πŸŸͺ Name homophones: DUG, MATTE, MIC, PEAT

Sep. 16 (#463)

  • 🟨 Foremost: CHIEF, PREMIER, PRINCIPAL, SUPREME
  • 🟩 Spiky things: CACTUS, HEDGEHOG, MACE, PINEAPPLE
  • 🟦 Overly sentimental work: CHEESE, CORN, MUSH, PAP
  • πŸŸͺ Things that are capped: BOTTLE, GRADUATE, MUSHROOM, SALARY

Sep. 15 (#462)

  • 🟨 Reside: DWELL, INHABIT, LIVE, STAY
  • 🟩 Decrease: DECLINE, DROP, DWINDLE, EBB
  • 🟦 Doofus: CLOWN, DWEEB, SAP, TURKEY
  • πŸŸͺ Member of a septet: DWARF, SEA, SIN, WONDER

Sep. 14 (#461)

  • 🟨 Wine bottle info: GRAPE, REGION, VINTAGE, WINERY
  • 🟩 Console inputs: BUTTON, KNOB, SLIDER, SWITCH
  • 🟦 Prefixes: PRO, RETRO, SUB, SUPER
  • πŸŸͺ ___ King: BURGER, CALIFORNIA, LION, PROM

Sep. 13 (#460)

  • 🟨 Vitality: ENERGY, JUICE, LIFE, ZIP
  • 🟩 Palindromes featuring “E”: LEVEL, PEP, REFER, TENET
  • 🟦 Featured in Jack and the BeanstalkBEANS, COW, GIANT, JACK
  • πŸŸͺ Car models: BEETLE, CIVIC, FOCUS, VOLT

Sep. 12 (#459)

  • 🟨 Mark online for later: BOOKMARK, FAVORITE, LIKE, SAVE
  • 🟩 Behalf: ADVANTAGE, BENEFIT, INTEREST, SAKE
  • 🟦 NBA legends, familiarly: BIRD, CURRY, KOBE, MAGIC
  • πŸŸͺ Ending with Greek letters: BIOTA, FETA, MOCHI, PEPSI

Sep. 11 (#458)

  • 🟨 Large amount of money: BUNDLE, FORTUNE, MINT, PILE
  • 🟩 Bits of wisdom: KERNEL, NUGGET, PEARL, TIDBIT
  • 🟦 Featured in Jurrasic Park: AMBER, DINOSAUR, MOSQUITO, PALEONTOLOGIST
  • πŸŸͺ Things that are purple: AMETHYST, EGGPLANT, GRIMACE, LAVENDER

Sep. 10 (#457)

  • 🟨 Varieties: KINDS, SORTS, STRIPES, TYPES
  • 🟩 Transfer: DELIVER, GIVE, HAND, PASS
  • 🟦 Ratings systems: A-F, PERCENTAGE, STARS, THUMBS
  • πŸŸͺ Things with kings: CHECKERS, DECK OF CARDS, MONARCHY, NHL

Sep. 9 (#456)

  • 🟨 Get red in the face: BLUSH, BURN, FLUSH, GLOW
  • 🟩 Continuous: CONSECUTIVE, NONSTOP, SOLID, STRAIGHT
  • 🟦 Flavor assortment: FLIGHT, PLATTER, SAMPLER, TASTING
  • πŸŸͺ Sitcom: BLOSSOM, COACH, COMMUNITY, FULL HOUSE

Sep. 8 (#455)

  • 🟨 Verbs in a cake recipe: BAKE, BEAT, FROST, PREHEAT
  • 🟩 What a heart does when excited: POUND, PUMP, RACE, THROB
  • 🟦 Ecclesiastical titles: BISHOP, PASTOR, POPE, PRIOR
  • πŸŸͺ ___ boys: BAD, BEACH, HARDY, PET SHOP

Sep. 7 (#454)

  • 🟨 Ways to transform an image: CROP, FLIP, ROTATE, SCALE
  • 🟩 Things used in golf: BALL, DRIVER, GLOVE, TEE
  • 🟦 Aquarium purchases: FILTER, PUMP, ROCKS, TANK
  • πŸŸͺ Logos with horses: COACH, GODIVA, MUSTANG, POLO

Sep. 6 (#453)

  • 🟨 Quantity: AMOUNT, COUNT, NUMBER, TOTAL
  • 🟩 Incident: AFFAIR, EPISODE, EVENT, MATTER
  • 🟦 Things received in the mail: BILL, CARD, CATALOG, LETTER
  • πŸŸͺ What “spring” might refer to: BOUNCE, COIL, GEYSER, SEASON

Sep. 5 (#452)

  • 🟨 Hair salon offerings: BLOWOUT, COLOR, CUT, TRIM
  • 🟩 Criticize: BASH, BLAST, PAN, SLAM
  • 🟦 Obtain: BAG, LAND, SCORE, SNAG
  • πŸŸͺ Measured in football stats: ATTEMPT, RECEPTION, SACK, YARD

Sep. 4 (#451)

  • 🟨 Very small amount: HINT, SHRED, TOUCH, TRACE
  • 🟩 Puppy purchases: BED, BOWL, COLLAR, CRATE
  • 🟦 Help put on a party: CATER, HOST, PLAN, THROW
  • πŸŸͺ Symbols on a keyboard: BRACE, CARET, HASH, STAR

Sep. 3 (#450)

  • 🟨 Absolve: EXCUSE, PARDON, SAVE, SPARE
  • 🟩 Excessively: BEYOND, EXTRA, OVER, TOO
  • 🟦 Global currencies: POUND, REAL, WON, YEN
  • πŸŸͺ ___head: ARROW, BLOCK, FORE, KNUCKLE

Sep. 2 (#449)

  • 🟨 Peculiar: CURIOUS, FUNNY, OFF, WEIRD
  • 🟩 Assignment: JOB, POSITION, POST, STATION
  • 🟦 Classic collection items: COIN, COMIC, RECORD, STAMP
  • πŸŸͺ Chain ___: LETTER, MAIL, REACTION, STORE

Sep. 1 (#448)

  • 🟨 Cook in a pan: BROWN, CHAR, GRILL, SEAR
  • 🟩 Parts of the ear: ANVIL, CANAL, DRUM, HAMMER
  • 🟦 Shades of black: CHARCOAL, JET, RAVEN, SABLE
  • πŸŸͺ Where you might find a “driver”: GOLF BAG, LIMOUSINE, MOVIE SET, TOOLBOX
Author
Image of JΓ©ssica Gubert
JΓ©ssica Gubert
JΓ©ssica is a writer, editor, and translator working at GAMURS since 2019, but with a lifelong experience in word games and TV shows. She can also be found at concerts or babbling about board games anywhere.