On December 25, 2025, players of the New York Times Connections puzzle faced an intriguing challenge with a variety of themed categories. As they attempted to identify four groups of words, each with a distinct connection, players were reminded of the game’s straightforward yet deceptive nature: identify the categories without making more than four mistakes.
Today’s puzzle presented a colorful array of hints correlating to the categories. The yellow group challenged players to think in terms of descriptive language, while the green group urged them to consider synonyms for the act of inventing. The blue group directed their attention toward items that feature a similar appendage, and the purple group invoked the familiar melody of “Do, a deer, a female deer,” to guide them toward identifying the appropriate words.
The specific words for each category included:
– Yellow group: Excessive, flowery, melodramatic, purple, which all pertain to ornate and embellished prose.
– Green group: Coin, fashion, hatch, make up, all connected to the concept of creation.
– Blue group: Cherry, flower, musical note, wine glass, which all reference things that have stems.
– Purple group: Laredo, mire, retire, Solti, encapsulating the concept of solfège.
These diverse categories not only showcased the puzzle’s breadth but also engaged players in a stimulating exercise of word association and thematic recognition. As participants put their puzzle-solving skills to the test, they experienced the joy of discovery inherent in every successful connection made.