NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Sunday, October 20 (game #497)

Hello Gamers!

Let’s dive into Connections, the NYT’s engaging word game that challenges your ability to categorize answers. If you’re looking for some hints, stick around for some guidance.

After you’ve completed Connections, why not continue the fun with other word games? I’ve also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers, and Quordle hints and answers articles to assist you.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, proceed at your own risk.

NYT Connections Today (Game #497) – Today’s Words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today’s NYT Connections words are…

  • PADDLE
  • SEW
  • ROW
  • STORY
  • OAR
  • FORE
  • COLUMN
  • RACKET
  • NET
  • BUTT
  • FEATURE
  • BALL
  • CLATTER
  • TABLE
  • RUCKUS
  • ARTICLE

NYT Connections Today (Game #497) – Hint #1 – Group Hints

What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?

  • Yellow: Press pieces
  • Green: What’s that sound?
  • Blue: Ping pong
  • Purple: Sounds like a connecting term

Need more clues?

NYT Connections Today (Game #497) – Hint #2 – Group Answers

What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: BIT OF NEWSPAPER WRITING
  • GREEN: NOISY DISTURBANCE
  • BLUE: TABLE TENNIS NEEDS
  • PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

NYT Connections Today (Game #497) – The Answers

NYT Connections answers for game 497 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Connections, game #497, are…

  • GREEN: NOISY DISTURBANCE CLATTER, RACKET, ROW, RUCKUS
  • YELLOW: BIT OF NEWSPAPER WRITING ARTICLE, COLUMN, FEATURE, STORY
  • BLUE: TABLE TENNIS NEEDS BALL, NET, PADDLE, TABLE
  • PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS BUTT, FORE, OAR, SEW

  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: Perfect

It’s entirely possible to solve the most challenging Connections group, the purple one, without fully understanding why you’re solving it – I experienced this today.

While I had already figured out yellow and green (BIT OF NEWSPAPER WRITING and NOISY DISTURBANCE respectively), the last two groups stumped me. Although I should have identified blue (TABLE TENNIS NEEDS), I hadn’t quite made that connection yet. However, I noticed that BUTT, FORE, OAR, and SEW were homophones. Despite being half-awake, I managed to solve it because they all sounded similar to another word. Little credit to me, but a win nonetheless.

How did you fare today? Drop me an email and share your progress.


Yesterday’s NYT Connections Answers (Saturday, 19 October, Game #496)

  • YELLOW: BRING ABOUT GENERATE, INSPIRE, PROMPT, PROVOKE
  • GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE OFTEN SCENTED CANDLE, INCENSE, LOTION, SOAP
  • BLUE: THINGS THAT MIGHT STING INSULT, JELLYFISH, NETTLE, WASP
  • PURPLE: VIDEO GAME FRANCHISES CIVILIZATION, HALO, MADDEN, METROID

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is an increasingly popular word game developed by the New York Times. Players are challenged to identify groups of four items that share a common attribute. Each group varies in difficulty: green is easy, yellow is a bit harder, blue is often challenging, and purple is usually very tough.

One advantage is that you don’t necessarily need to solve the final group, as you can deduce the answer through process of elimination. Plus, you’re allowed up to four mistakes, offering some room for error.

It’s more intricate than games like Wordle and presents opportunities for trickery with word games like homophones that can obscure the answers.

You can play for free on the NYT Games site on your desktop or mobile device.