NYT Connections Hints and Answers for December 22, 2025, #926

Happy Monday, puzzlers! Hope you're starting the week off on the right foot. My day began with a classic case of technology betrayal – a sudden Wi-Fi dropout just as I was about to send a crucial email. The silence of the screen was deafening, accompanied by the eerie hum of a disconnected modem. It's like your internet connection decides to go on a coffee break when you need it the most, right?

Speaking of connections, have you tried today's "Connections" puzzle yet? As you navigate through the color tiers, keep an eye out for those sneaky decoys that might lead you astray. Remember, the key is to scan for loose synonyms and make those vital connections between the clues. It's all about finding the missing links and piecing together the puzzle one clever word at a time.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the vibrant world of wordplay and let those neurons do a little dance. If you need a nudge in the right direction or a hint to get you started, feel free to reach out. Let's unravel this delightful conundrum together and conquer Monday with a flourish of linguistic prowess!

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