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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Need help with the archived NYT Connections puzzle for Wednesday, December 31, 2025? Start with the spoiler-free hints below, then open the answer key when you’re ready. This is game #934; the puzzle dated January 1, 2026, is a different game, #935.
Hints for Connections #934
Connections asks players to sort 16 entries into four groups of four. These clues move from broad to more specific, so stop at the level that gives you enough help.
- Yellow: Sending in 2026.
- Green: Vanishing spots.
- Blue: As seen in Philly.
- Purple: Wet beginnings.
Answers for Wednesday, December 31
Spoilers below: the group names and all 16 answers are revealed.
| Color | Category | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | HAPPY NEW YEAR! | BALL DROP; CHAMPAGNE FLUTE; FIREWORKS; NOISEMAKER |
| Green | PLACES WHERE THINGS DISAPPEAR | BERMUDA TRIANGLE; BLACK HOLE; COUCH CUSHIONS; DRYER |
| Blue | ASSOCIATED WITH PHILADELPHIA | BROTHERLY LOVE; CHEESESTEAK; LIBERTY BELL; ROCKY |
| Purple | STARTING WITH BODIES OF WATER | BAY LEAF; CHANNEL SURF; SEA BASS; SOUND BARRIER |
How the groups fit together
Yellow: HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A ball drop, champagne flute, fireworks and noisemaker are all associated with New Year’s celebrations.
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Green: PLACES WHERE THINGS DISAPPEAR
The Bermuda Triangle and a black hole are familiar mysteries; couch cushions and a dryer are everyday places where small items seem to vanish. The category is figurative and familiar, not four literal geographic locations.
Blue: ASSOCIATED WITH PHILADELPHIA
Brotherly love, the cheesesteak, the Liberty Bell and Rocky connect to Philadelphia. The references draw on U.S. geography and culture, so they may be less immediate for players unfamiliar with the city.
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Purple: STARTING WITH BODIES OF WATER
The first words are BAY, CHANNEL, SEA and SOUND: each is also a term for a body of water. The complete phrases are bay leaf, channel surf, sea bass and sound barrier.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which Connections puzzle is this?
This answer key is for Wednesday, December 31, 2025, game #934. TechRadar reports that a new puzzle appears at midnight in each time zone, so “today’s” puzzle can differ depending on a reader’s location. The date and number identify this archived puzzle and distinguish it from #935, dated the following day. TechRadar’s December 31 hints and answers and its January 1 coverage identify the two games separately.
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