Issue #557 Thu 19 Dec
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — December 19, 2024
A tidy grid today, though the four sets offer a steady climb in difficulty. Expect a few lateral traps where words pull double duty before settling into their proper homes.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The blinking cursor on an unfinished email, a stack of folders pushed to the corner of the desk, the meeting pushed to next week.
Corporate and temporal management
Synonyms
Members are 5–8 letters; first letters D, P, S, T.
DEFER
One is DELAY.
DELAY · POSTPONE · SHELVE · TABLE
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
The sticky ring left on the mahogany, the neon sign buzzing in the window, a heavy foot resting on the brass rail.
Public house architecture
Commonly found objects
Members are 3–7 letters; first letters C, K, S, T.
BAR FIXTURES
One is COUNTER.
COUNTER · KEG · STOOL · TAP
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
A low-slung vessel moving down the river, the wake rippling behind a small craft, the steady hum of an engine in the harbor.
Maritime vessels
Categorical nouns
Members are 3–5 letters; first letters B, J, S, T.
WATERCRAFT
One is BARGE.
BARGE · JUNK · SUB · TUG
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
The arcade cabinet glowing in a dark corner, the frantic sound of a joystick clicking, the jump over a rolling obstacle.
Retro gaming iconography
Thematic elements
Members are 6–7 letters; first letters B, G, H, L.
SEEN IN “DONKEY KONG”
One is BARREL.
BARREL · GORILLA · HAMMER · LADDER
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
DEFERDELAY · POSTPONE · SHELVE · TABLE
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Reveal the green group
BAR FIXTURESCOUNTER · KEG · STOOL · TAP
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Reveal the blue group
WATERCRAFTBARGE · JUNK · SUB · TUG
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Reveal the violet group
SEEN IN “DONKEY KONG”BARREL · GORILLA · HAMMER · LADDER
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on December 19, 2024. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for December 19, 2024, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on December 19, 2024?
NYT Connections on December 19, 2024 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on December 19, 2024?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #557?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words