Issue #561 Mon 23 Dec
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — December 23, 2024
Today's grid requires a sharp ear and a willingness to look past the literal. With several groups leaning on wordplay and unconventional pairings, the path to a solve is found in reading aloud.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
A conversation where the listener keeps asking for clarification because every word sounds like another.
Linguistic phenomena
Phonetic equivalence
Members are 1–3 letters; first letters E, U, Y.
HOMOPHONES
One is EWE.
EWE · U · YEW · YOU
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
The mirror check before leaving the house, smoothing down a collar or adjusting a piece of fabric.
Apparel design
Specific terminology for garment construction
Members are 1–5 letters; first letters B, C, S, V.
NECKLINES
One is BOAT.
BOAT · CREW · SCOOP · V
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
The shorthand used in a bank ledger or a quick text about a freelance payment.
Numerical slang
Common abbreviations and colloquialisms
Members are 1–5 letters; first letters G, K, M, T.
WAYS TO EXPRESS 1,000
One is GRAND.
GRAND · K · M · THOU
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
A glance at a calendar or a grocery list where a single word keeps appearing at the start of every line.
Linguistic compounds
Shared prefix phrases
Members are 1–7 letters; first letters 8, B, G, T.
SUPER ___
One is 8.
8 · BOWL · GLUE · TUESDAY
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
HOMOPHONESEWE · U · YEW · YOU
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Reveal the green group
NECKLINESBOAT · CREW · SCOOP · V
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Reveal the blue group
WAYS TO EXPRESS 1,000GRAND · K · M · THOU
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Reveal the violet group
SUPER ___8 · BOWL · GLUE · TUESDAY
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on December 23, 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 23, 2024, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on December 23, 2024?
NYT Connections on December 23, 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 23, 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 #561?
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