A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #929
hints & answers for December 26, 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 26, 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 M, S, T and V. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

MOVIE EXEC belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CALIFORNIA-BASED CHARACTER TROPES

Reveal all four words
  • MOVIE EXEC
  • SURFER
  • TECH BRO
  • VALLEY GIRL

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BUDDY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COMEDY SUBGENRES

Reveal all four words
  • BUDDY
  • CRINGE
  • SCREWBALL
  • STONER

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with A, C, F and J. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

AMERICA belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

'70S ROCK BANDS

Reveal all four words
  • AMERICA
  • CHICAGO
  • FOREIGNER
  • JOURNEY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

FOREST belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BLACK ___

Reveal all four words
  • FOREST
  • FRIDAY
  • PANTHER
  • WIDOW

Each entry comes after "BLACK" to form a word, expression or name: FOREST → BLACK FOREST; FRIDAY → BLACK FRIDAY; PANTHER → BLACK PANTHER; WIDOW → BLACK WIDOW.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: CALIFORNIA-BASED CHARACTER TROPES
  • Green: COMEDY SUBGENRES
  • Blue: '70S ROCK BANDS
  • Purple: BLACK ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

CALIFORNIA-BASED CHARACTER TROPES

MOVIE EXEC · SURFER · TECH BRO · VALLEY GIRL

Green

COMEDY SUBGENRES

BUDDY · CRINGE · SCREWBALL · STONER

Blue

'70S ROCK BANDS

AMERICA · CHICAGO · FOREIGNER · JOURNEY

Purple

BLACK ___

FOREST · FRIDAY · PANTHER · WIDOW

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.