NYT Connections #547 was published Monday, December 9, 2024. The four groups are deliberation, ways to start a fire, items used to view a biological sample, and words that follow “X.” Hints come first below; the complete solution follows.
Hints for Connections #547
Use these in order and stop when you have enough to solve the grid:
- One group is about careful thought or deliberation.
- Look for tools or methods used to start a fire.
- Think about objects used to view or prepare a biological sample in a lab.
- Find words that commonly follow the letter “X.”
Connections #547 answers
Spoilers below: the complete groupings for the Monday, December 9, 2024 puzzle.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Deliberation | CONSIDERATION, REFLECTION, SCRUTINY, THOUGHT |
| Green | Used in starting a fire | FLINT, LIGHTER, MAGNIFYING GLASS, MATCHES |
| Blue | Used to view a biological sample | MICROSCOPE, SLIDE, SPECIMEN, STAIN |
| Purple | Words after “X” | FACTOR, FILES, GAMES, RAY |
Why the trickier groups fit
Biological-sample viewing
The blue group is broader than optical instruments. A microscope is used to view a sample; a slide holds it, a specimen is the sample, and stain helps make cellular structures easier to see.
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Words after “X”
The purple words form familiar expressions when “X” comes before them: X-factor, The X-Files, X Games, and X-ray.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.About this puzzle
This is the historical Connections puzzle numbered #547, published Monday, December 9, 2024—not a different puzzle published on another December 9. The groupings are corroborated by published answer guides; an official NYT archive entry for this exact grid was not established.
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