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Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 457 for Sept. 10.

Here are some hints, and the answers, for the Sept. 10 Strands puzzle, No. 191.

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Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #457) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• STARS
• STRIPES
• HAND
• DELIVER
• SORTS
• DECK OF CARDS
• THUMBS
• MONARCHY
• PASS
• TYPES
• NHL
• A-F
• PERCENTAGE
• CHECKERS
• GIVE
• KINDS

NYT Connections today (game #457) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Things of a particular quality
• Green: Move to another person
• Blue: Ways of ranking
• Purple: They have a regal aspect

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #457) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: VARIETIES
• GREEN: TRANSFER
• BLUE: RATINGS SYSTEMS
• PURPLE: THINGS WITH KINGS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #457) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #457, are…

• YELLOW: VARIETIES KINDS, SORTS, STRIPES, TYPES
• GREEN: TRANSFER DELIVER, GIVE, HAND, PASS
• BLUE: RATINGS SYSTEMS A-F, PERCENTAGE, STARS, THUMBS
• PURPLE: THINGS WITH KINGS CHECKERS, DECK OF CARDS, MONARCHY, NHL

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

It's been a long time since I've found a Connections puzzle to be as easy as this one. All four are straightforward collections of things/words, with no more complicated 'blank' types, let alone any real head-scratchers. It was simply a case of solving them one by one, which made the process easier each time as more solutions got removed.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 9 September, game #456)

• YELLOW: GET RED IN THE FACE BLUSH, BURN, FLUSH, GLOW
• GREEN: CONTINUOUS CONSECUTIVE, NONSTOP, SOLID, STRAIGHT
• BLUE: FLAVOR ASSORTMENT FLIGHT, PLATTER, SAMPLER, TASTING
• PURPLE: SITCOMS BLOSSOM, COACH, COMMUNITY, FULL HOUSE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #191) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Give it a whirl!

NYT Strands today (game #191) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• RICE
• SICK
• SOCK
• BALL
• TALL
• SORT

NYT Strands today (game #191) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Come dancing

NYT Strands today (game #191) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: right, 5th row

Last: left, 6th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #191) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #191, are…

• WALTZ
• QUICKSTEP
• FOXTROT
• SALSA
• JIVE
• RUMBA
• SPANGRAM: BALLROOMDANCE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I have never tried ballroom dancing, and I almost certainly never will – but that didn't stop me completing this Strands puzzle in quick time. It's a very simple one, helped no end by the fact that the spangram, BALLROOMDANCE, is very long and winds its way across the center of the board. This reduces the possibilities for the letters surrounding it, making it easy to spot the likes of QUICKSTEP and SALSA. Uncommon letters helped, too – there's an X, a Z and a Q in there, and all are typically easier to work with than more common characters.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday 9 September, game #190)

• BOCCE
• CROQUET
• CORNHOLE
• HORSESHOES
• BADMINTON
• SPANGRAM: LAWNGAMES

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.