Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, C, H and R. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BAND belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
LOOP
Reveal all four words
- BAND
- CIRCLE
- HOOP
- RING
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #559
hints & answers for December 21, 2024
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#559
This reference always shows December 21, 2024. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.
Which group has you stuck?
Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with C, C, P and P. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
CASSEROLE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
COOKING VESSELS
Reveal all four words
- CASSEROLE
- CROCK
- PAN
- POT
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, C, M and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BUNK belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
KINDS OF BEDS
Reveal all four words
- BUNK
- CANOPY
- MURPHY
- SLEIGH
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, G, O and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BALONEY belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
THINGS CALLED “OSCAR”
Reveal all four words
- BALONEY
- GROUCH
- O
- STATUETTE
Show categories only
- Yellow: LOOP
- Green: COOKING VESSELS
- Blue: KINDS OF BEDS
- Purple: THINGS CALLED “OSCAR”
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
LOOP
BAND · CIRCLE · HOOP · RING
Green
COOKING VESSELS
CASSEROLE · CROCK · PAN · POT
Blue
KINDS OF BEDS
BUNK · CANOPY · MURPHY · SLEIGH
Purple
THINGS CALLED “OSCAR”
BALONEY · GROUCH · O · STATUETTE
This puzzle’s recorded solution
The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.
Continue from this date
About the answers and hints
Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.
Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.
The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.