Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #563) - today's words
Today's NYT Connections words are…
- QUEEN
- STAR
- CUPID
- STRONG
- RUDOLPH
- SAGITTARIUS
- NANNY
- COMET
- VIXEN
- MOON
- ROBIN HOOD
- SHANNON
- HAWKEYE
- FEY
- JENNY
- PLANET
NYT Connections today (game #563) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Astronomy
- GREEN: Bow and arrow
- BLUE: Lady beasts
- PURPLE: “Live from New York…”
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #563) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: CELESTIAL OBJECTS
- GREEN: ARCHERS
- BLUE: FEMALE ANIMALS
- PURPLE: "S.N.L." CAST MEMBERS
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #563) - the answers
The answers to today's Connections, game #563, are…
- YELLOW: CELESTIAL OBJECTS COMET, MOON, PLANET, STAR
- GREEN: ARCHERS CUPID, HAWKEYE, ROBIN HOOD, SAGITTARIUS
- BLUE: FEMALE ANIMALS JENNY, NANNY, QUEEN, VIXEN
- PURPLE: "S.N.L." CAST MEMBERS FEY, RUDOLPH, SHANNON, STRONG
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
The stars aligned for me today as I turned groups of three into four.
I knew that the symbol for SAGITTARIUS was a centaur, but i forgot that he was also holding a bow and arrow – apparently it's meant to symbolize how people born under this star sign are decisive and hit the mark every time.
ROBIN HOOD also gives his name to the archery equivalent of a hole-in-one – when an archer splits an arrow already in the target with another arrow shot from the same spot. A moment as rare as me getting through Connections without a mistake.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 24 December, game #562)
- YELLOW: "LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY!" BEARS, LIONS, OH MY, TIGERS
- GREEN: BELOVED, AS A FRIEND CLOSE, DEAR, INTIMATE, TIGHT
- BLUE: WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE PLURAL LETTERS BEES, EASE, JAYS, USE
- PURPLE: WHEN TRIPLED, HIT SONG TITLES BILLS, BYE, GIMME, PLEASE
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
