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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The answers to NYT Connections puzzle #574, dated Sunday, January 5, 2025, are CALM, QUIET, SLEEPY, SLOW; GROSS, MAKE, NET, YIELD; HOME, MUTE, STOP, VOLUME; and EAR, KETTLE, OIL, SNARE. The last group completes familiar phrases with “drum.”
All Connections answers for January 5, 2025
This archived puzzle uses a 16-word grid divided into four groups of four. The category labels and solved groups are:
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| HARDLY BUSTLING | CALM, QUIET, SLEEPY, SLOW |
| EARN | GROSS, MAKE, NET, YIELD |
| REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS | HOME, MUTE, STOP, VOLUME |
| WORDS BEFORE “DRUM” | EAR, KETTLE, OIL, SNARE |
TechRadar and Parade independently list the same groups for puzzle #574 on January 5, 2025: TechRadar’s Connections guide and Parade’s Connections answers.
Why the four groups fit
HARDLY BUSTLING: CALM, QUIET, SLEEPY, SLOW
Each word suggests little activity or bustle. “Sleepy” can describe an unhurried town or setting, while “slow” can describe a pace or period; the link is not simply that someone might feel tired.
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EARN: GROSS, MAKE, NET, YIELD
These words relate to bringing in money or returns. To make money is to earn it; an investment can yield income; and gross and net can describe amounts before and after deductions.
REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS: HOME, MUTE, STOP, VOLUME
These are recognizable remote-control functions or controls. The category depends on how the words appear on a remote, not just on their association with sound.
WORDS BEFORE “DRUM”: EAR, KETTLE, OIL, SNARE
Put “drum” after each word to form ear drum, kettle drum, oil drum, and snare drum. EAR is the likely misdirection: it may seem to belong with MUTE and VOLUME because of hearing, but it completes the compound-word pattern here.
Clues if you want to solve it before reading the groups
- One group describes a place, pace, or period with little activity.
- One group concerns income or returns.
- Think of controls found on a remote, rather than general sound-related words.
- For the final group, place the same word after each answer to make a familiar phrase.
Is this a current Connections puzzle?
No. #574 is the archived Sunday, January 5, 2025 puzzle, not the puzzle for October 8, 2026. TechRadar says Connections can be played through NYT Games on desktop or mobile, but the available information does not establish whether this specific archived puzzle remains playable there.
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Rank #3
- Two teams race to identify their agents from a 5×5 grid, guided by a spymaster who knows each card’s identity
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