A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #908
hints & answers for December 5, 2025

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 5, 2025. 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 C, D, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

COMPLEX belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

TRICKY

Reveal all four words
  • COMPLEX
  • DELICATE
  • STICKY
  • TOUGH

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DEAL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STATE OF AFFAIRS

Reveal all four words
  • DEAL
  • SITUATION
  • STATUS
  • STORY

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

MASTERMIND belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CLASSIC BOARD GAMES

Reveal all four words
  • MASTERMIND
  • MOUSE TRAP
  • OPERATION
  • SORRY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

BABY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ TALK

Reveal all four words
  • BABY
  • PILLOW
  • SMALL
  • SWEET

Each entry comes before "TALK" to form a word, expression or name: BABY → BABY TALK; PILLOW → PILLOW TALK; SMALL → SMALL TALK; SWEET → SWEET TALK.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: TRICKY
  • Green: STATE OF AFFAIRS
  • Blue: CLASSIC BOARD GAMES
  • Purple: ___ TALK

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

TRICKY

COMPLEX · DELICATE · STICKY · TOUGH

Green

STATE OF AFFAIRS

DEAL · SITUATION · STATUS · STORY

Blue

CLASSIC BOARD GAMES

MASTERMIND · MOUSE TRAP · OPERATION · SORRY

Purple

___ TALK

BABY · PILLOW · SMALL · SWEET

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.