A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #561
hints & answers for December 23, 2024

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows December 23, 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.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
Gentle hint

Try saying these aloud instead of looking at their spelling.

Show one word

EWE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

HOMOPHONES

Reveal all four words
  • EWE
  • U
  • YEW
  • YOU

These entries are pronounced alike despite their different spellings.

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, C, S and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOAT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

NECKLINES

Reveal all four words
  • BOAT
  • CREW
  • SCOOP
  • V

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with G, K, M and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

GRAND belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WAYS TO EXPRESS 1,000

Reveal all four words
  • GRAND
  • K
  • M
  • THOU

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

8 belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

SUPER ___

Reveal all four words
  • 8
  • BOWL
  • GLUE
  • TUESDAY

Each entry comes after "SUPER" to form a word, expression or name: 8 → SUPER 8; BOWL → SUPER BOWL; GLUE → SUPER GLUE; TUESDAY → SUPER TUESDAY.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: HOMOPHONES
  • Green: NECKLINES
  • Blue: WAYS TO EXPRESS 1,000
  • Purple: SUPER ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

HOMOPHONES

EWE · U · YEW · YOU

Green

NECKLINES

BOAT · CREW · SCOOP · V

Blue

WAYS TO EXPRESS 1,000

GRAND · K · M · THOU

Purple

SUPER ___

8 · BOWL · GLUE · TUESDAY

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.

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.