A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #912
hints & answers for December 9, 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 9, 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, C, F and I. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CONSIDER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BEAR IN MIND

Reveal all four words
  • CONSIDER
  • COUNT
  • FACTOR
  • INCLUDE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CLOWNFISH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STRIPED ANIMALS

Reveal all four words
  • CLOWNFISH
  • HONEYBEE
  • TIGER
  • ZEBRA

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DOROTHY GALE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ASSOCIATED WITH RAINBOWS

Reveal all four words
  • DOROTHY GALE
  • LEPRECHAUN
  • PRIDE
  • UNICORN

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

FIEVEL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BEGINNING WITH NUMBER HOMOPHONES

Reveal all four words
  • FIEVEL
  • FOREHEAD
  • TOUCAN
  • WONDER
Show categories only
  • Yellow: BEAR IN MIND
  • Green: STRIPED ANIMALS
  • Blue: ASSOCIATED WITH RAINBOWS
  • Purple: BEGINNING WITH NUMBER HOMOPHONES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

BEAR IN MIND

CONSIDER · COUNT · FACTOR · INCLUDE

Green

STRIPED ANIMALS

CLOWNFISH · HONEYBEE · TIGER · ZEBRA

Blue

ASSOCIATED WITH RAINBOWS

DOROTHY GALE · LEPRECHAUN · PRIDE · UNICORN

Purple

BEGINNING WITH NUMBER HOMOPHONES

FIEVEL · FOREHEAD · TOUCAN · WONDER

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.