The highs aren't as high and the lows aren't as low. Neap tides occur around the time when the moon is half-full. Spring tides occur around the times of full moon and new moon. On springs, the highs are higher and the lows lower. Springs are when you go clamming at low tide.
Currents are stronger on spring tides.
The progression from spring to neap and back to spring occurs day by day, just as the moon changes from full to half to no moon at all. Then, as the crescent of moon becomes ever smaller, the tides and currents increase, until new moon. Those are the basics. The problem is made more complex by the pattern of two high tides and two low tides in a typical day. One of these tides is larger than the other.