NYT Connections Hints and Answers for December 17, 2025, #921

Happy Wednesday, fellow solvers! I hope your day is off to a fantastic start. Today, as I was rushing out the door, I grabbed my coat and assumed it was going to be a chilly morning. But as I stepped outside, the brisk air surprised me with a hint of warmth, making me rethink my layering strategy. It's funny how our assumptions can sometimes lead us astray, isn't it?

Speaking of assumptions, when tackling today's "Connections" puzzle, keep an open mind and be ready to make unexpected connections. Remember to scan for loose synonyms and watch out for those clever cross-category decoys. You never know where the next link might appear – sometimes it's hiding in plain sight!

As you navigate through the color tiers of yellow, green, blue, and purple, don't hesitate to reach out for hints if you get stuck. The beauty of this puzzle lies in its ability to challenge and surprise us, pushing our brains to make those creative leaps. So, are you ready to dive in and uncover the hidden connections waiting to be discovered? I believe in you! Let's tackle this challenge together and revel in the joy of unraveling each clue.

How to Play NYT Connections

Overview

Connections is a daily word puzzle game from The New York Times. The goal is to find groups of four words that share something in common. You’re presented with 16 words arranged in a 4×4 grid, and you must identify four groups of four related words.

Basic Rules

• You have 16 words total, arranged in a 4×4 grid
• There are exactly 4 groups of 4 related words each
• Each word belongs to exactly one group
• You must find all four groups to complete the puzzle
• You have 4 mistakes allowed before the game ends

How to Play

• Look at all 16 words and try to identify patterns or connections
• Select 4 words you think belong together by clicking/tapping them
• Click “Submit” to check if your group is correct
• If correct, those 4 words will be removed and grouped together
• If incorrect, you lose one of your 4 allowed mistakes
• Continue until you find all 4 groups or run out of mistakes

Difficulty Levels

The four groups are color-coded by difficulty:

• 🟨 YELLOW: Easiest – usually straightforward categories
• 🟩 GREEN: Easy-Medium – slightly more complex connections
• 🟦 BLUE: Medium-Hard – trickier associations or wordplay
• 🟪 PURPLE: Hardest – often involves puns, multiple meanings, or very subtle connections

Strategy Tips

• Start with the most obvious connections first
• Be careful of red herrings – words that seem to fit multiple categories
• If you’re unsure, try to eliminate what doesn’t belong first
• The purple group often involves wordplay, homophones, or very creative connections
• Don’t guess randomly – you only have 4 mistakes

Scoring

• Complete the puzzle to see your results
• Mistakes are tracked but don’t affect your final score
• Share your results with friends using the share button
• Results show how many mistakes you made for each group