A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #566
hints & answers for December 28, 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 28, 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
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with E, N, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

EASY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

“NOTHING TO IT!”

Reveal all four words
  • EASY
  • NO SWEAT
  • PIECE OF CAKE
  • SURE THING

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with A, A, G and P. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

AEGIS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

OBJECTS FROM GREEK MYTH

Reveal all four words
  • AEGIS
  • APPLE OF DISCORD
  • GOLDEN FLEECE
  • PANDORA’S BOX

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, H, H and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CAN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PROVERBIAL THINGS TO KICK

Reveal all four words
  • CAN
  • HABIT
  • HORNETS’ NEST
  • TIRES

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with H, H, I and M. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

HERSHEY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STARTING WITH POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

Reveal all four words
  • HERSHEY
  • HISTAMINE
  • ITSY
  • MINEFIELD
Show categories only
  • Yellow: “NOTHING TO IT!”
  • Green: OBJECTS FROM GREEK MYTH
  • Blue: PROVERBIAL THINGS TO KICK
  • Purple: STARTING WITH POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

“NOTHING TO IT!”

EASY · NO SWEAT · PIECE OF CAKE · SURE THING

Green

OBJECTS FROM GREEK MYTH

AEGIS · APPLE OF DISCORD · GOLDEN FLEECE · PANDORA’S BOX

Blue

PROVERBIAL THINGS TO KICK

CAN · HABIT · HORNETS’ NEST · TIRES

Purple

STARTING WITH POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

HERSHEY · HISTAMINE · ITSY · MINEFIELD

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.