“Connections” December 26: Hints and answers for puzzle #564
Happy holidays, puzzle lovers! We’re back with another round of hints and solutions for the latest New York Times Connections puzzle.
Whether you’re relaxing after the holiday or just looking for a challenge, we’ve got you covered!
Connections can be quite the brainteaser, but sometimes a little hint is all you need to get over that tricky hump. If you’re looking for a clue or two, you’re in the right place. We’ve got Thursday’s answers at the end of this article, so scroll with caution if you’d rather solve it independently.
Moon Safari/Getty Images
How to Play Connections
Each day, Connections presents players with a grid of 16 words. Your goal is to group these into four sets of four based on common themes or characteristics.
These groups are color-coded by difficulty level: yellow (easiest), green, blue and purple (hardest). When you correctly identify a group, those words will be highlighted and removed from the grid. The corresponding color will reveal how challenging the group was intended to be.
You can only make up to four incorrect guesses before the game ends, so choose carefully! There’s no time limit, so no need to rush and consider shuffling the board if you’re stuck—sometimes a fresh perspective can help you spot the connections more easily.
Connections editor Wyna Liu suggests that if you find five words that might fit into a category, it’s often best to try categorizing a different group first. This strategy can help you figure out where the words truly belong by process of elimination.
Connections #564 Clues for Thursday, December 26
Newsweek is here with some hints to help you identify Thursday’s Connections categories:
- Yellow: Not quite exact, but close enough
- Green: From conifers to tropical shades
- Blue: More than modest, less than excessive
- Purple: Briefly stated
Connections #564 Answers for Thursday, December 26
- Yellow Category: Approximately
- Yellow words: About, Around, Like, Roughly
- Green Category: Trees
- Green words: Elder, Palm, Pine, Spruce
- Blue Category: Sizable, As An Amount
- Blue words: Handsome, Healthy, Respectable, Tidy
- Purple Category: U.S. State Abbreviations, Per AP Style Guide
- Purple words: ALA, ARK, MISS, ORE
We hope this puzzle brought you a mix of challenge and enjoyment on your holiday. If you managed to solve it, great job! If not, don’t stress—each day brings a new chance to sharpen your skills. The next Connections puzzle will be available from The New York Times on Friday at midnight in your local time zone. Check back with Newsweek for more tips and solutions every day.
