The New York Times Connections game presents 16 words that sort into four groups of four. On 2 December 2025, the grid mixed literal pairings, family-nickname patterns, tame expletives, and a sports-themed set. Below you’ll find gentle hints for each category followed by the full grouped answers.

NYT Connections Puzzle Overview: 2 December 2025

Today’s grid felt tidy and approachable: two groups relied on straightforward synonyms or labels, one used a light euphemism theme, and another leaned on team names/identities. Solvers who shifted between literal and playful readings of words made the fastest progress.

NYT Connections Hints: 2 December 2025

Category 1:

• Think synonyms that mean “not exact.”
• Phrases you might hear when estimating.
• One is a casual phrase often paired with “in the.”
• Another is a short adjective meaning not precise.

Category 2:

• Mild, family-friendly exclamations used instead of stronger words.
• Often used when you’re surprised or annoyed.
• One begins with F and is also a confection.
• These are what parents might say on TV instead of swearing.

Category 3:

• Look to professional sports — specifically baseball.
• These are team names (singular or city-based).
• Think American League and National League franchises.
• Short proper nouns that also stand alone as team identifiers.

Category 4:

• Family member nicknames with a repeated-sound pattern plus one extra letter.
• Cute, childlike forms used by or for relatives.
• Each looks like a short, doubled syllable with a final consonant.
• Picture a toddler saying a parent’s name slightly differently.

NYT Connections Answers: 2 December 2025

Here are the answers, grouped by category.

Category 1:
Category 2:
Category 3:
Category 4:

Conclusion & Quick Strategy Tip

Today’s puzzle balanced easy-to-spot synonyms and playful themes — not overly cryptic, but watch for small surface distractions. Quick strategy tip: scan the grid twice, first for obvious synonyms and proper nouns, then for playful or pattern-based groupings.