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Need help with the NYT Connections puzzle published Tuesday, December 31, 2024? Start with the spoiler-safe nudges below, then open the answer section when you’re ready. One note: publisher pages disagree about the puzzle number, so this guide identifies the game by its date.
Spoiler-safe hints for December 31
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. These hints move from broad themes to the category labels; stop before the next step if you want to preserve more of the solve.
- Broad nudges: One group is about moving fast. Another describes an enjoyable experience. A third consists of words used before an addressee. The last completes a familiar phrase beginning with “name.”
- Category labels: Move Quickly; Fun Time; Words Before an Addressee; Name ___.
December 31, 2024 Connections answers
Spoilers below: These are the complete groups and all 16 answers.
| Color | Category | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Move Quickly | BOLT, DART, DASH, FLY |
| Green | Fun Time | BALL, BLAST, KICK, THRILL |
| Blue | Words Before an Addressee | ATTENTION, DEAR, FOR, TO |
| Purple | Name ___ | BRAND, DROP, GAME, NAMES |
Why the puzzle number is unclear
The December 31 date is a more reliable identifier than the number in the headline. Parade’s December 31 guide labels the puzzle #569, while a Yahoo-hosted reproduction of Mashable’s guide calls it #571. Both sources give the same four groups and answers, but the numbering conflict means #571 should not be treated as settled for this date.
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How Connections works
The New York Times describes Connections as a game in which players receive 16 words and find four groups of four that share something in common. The groups are color-coded: yellow is the easiest and purple the trickiest. The NYT says each puzzle has exactly one solution and that editors curate its words and categories using the Oxford Dictionary.
The daily puzzle releases at midnight in the player’s timezone. The NYT lists the Games website, Games app, The Athletic site, and News app as places to play, and its help page says registration is not currently required. The full puzzle archive is subscriber-accessible; the Connections Bot is available to specified subscriber groups. Access terms can change. See the NYT Connections help page for current details.
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