NYT Connections Puzzle Guide: #563 (12/25/24)

It's Christmas Day, and the New York Times presents its second ever holiday Connections puzzle! If you've tackled previous holiday puzzles, you know the NYT likes to subtly incorporate holiday themes without making it overtly obvious.

Need a hand with today's puzzle? This guide provides hints, category-specific help, and solutions, without revealing the basic rules of Connections.

Words in NYT Connections Puzzle #563 (December 25, 2024)

Today's puzzle includes: Queen, Star, Cupid, Strong, Rudolph, Sagittarius, Nanny, Comet, Vixen, Moon, Robin Hood, Shannon, Hawkeye, Fey, Jenny, and Planet.

Jenny: A Quick Definition

A "jenny" can refer to a spinning jenny (a yarn-spinning machine), a female given name, a female animal of certain species, or a slang nautical term for a jib sail.

Hints and Solutions

The following sections offer hints and answers. Use caution, as some sections contain spoilers!

General Hints

1. No category focuses solely on reindeer names.
2. No category focuses solely on female given names.
3. "Shannon" and "Strong" belong to the same category.

Yellow Category (Easy): Hints

Consider black holes and satellites as additional clues.

Yellow Category (Easy): Answer

Celestial Objects

Yellow Category (Easy): Words

Comet, Moon, Planet, Star

Green Category (Medium): Hints

Think about Katniss, Artemis, and Legolas.

Green Category (Medium): Answer

Archers

Green Category (Medium): Words

Cupid, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, Sagittarius

Blue Category (Hard): Hints

Consider a doe, a hen, and a molly.

Blue Category (Hard): Answer

Female Animals

Blue Category (Hard): Words

Jenny, Nanny, Queen, Vixen

Purple Category (Tricky): Hints

Think about comedians.

Purple Category (Tricky): Answer

SNL Cast Members

Purple Category (Tricky): Words

Fey, Rudolph, Shannon, Strong

Complete Solutions

• Yellow - Celestial Objects: Comet, Moon, Planet, Star
• Green - Archers: Cupid, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, Sagittarius
• Blue - Female Animals: Jenny, Nanny, Queen, Vixen
• Purple - SNL Cast Members: Fey, Rudolph, Shannon, Strong

Ready to play? Visit the New York Times Games Connections website – it's playable on most devices!