NYT Connections asks players to organize 16 words into four groups of four based on shared ideas or associations. For 20 December 2025, the grid mixed practical, real-world concepts with more conceptual links, creating a puzzle that felt approachable at first but required careful thought. Below, you’ll find spoiler-free hints followed by the full solutions.

NYT Connections puzzle overview: 20 December 2025

The 20 December 2025 Connections grid blended practical, everyday terms with cultural references and wordplay. A couple of categories stood out quickly, but overlapping meanings made the final group trickier. Many solvers likely breezed through the first half, then paused to reconsider assumptions before locking everything in.

NYT Connections hints: 20 December 2025

Category 1:
  • Think of common tasks done at a familiar household business
  • Each word describes an action, not an object
  • These terms are often seen on storefront signs
  • All relate to caring for clothing
Category 2:
  • Focus on items that hold or store things
  • These words are physical objects
  • You might find them in a garage or storage area
  • Each can be used to contain materials
Category 3:
  • One word completes the same phrase with all four
  • The phrase is commonly used in food, music, and nature
  • “Rock” is the key connecting idea
  • Think compound phrases
Category 4:
  • All answers are names of music groups
  • They originated in the same country
  • Each name usually appears with the same definite article
  • They emerged around the same decade

NYT Connections answers: 20 December 2025

Here are the answers, grouped by category.

Category 1: Laundry services
Category 2: Containers
Category 3: Rock...
Category 4: British bands formed in the 1970s, with “the”

Conclusion & quick strategy tip

Today’s puzzle leaned on clean categories with just enough overlap to slow things down near the end. The mix of practical terms and pop culture made it satisfying to solve. Quick strategy tip: when stuck, look for repeated word pairings or phrases that commonly appear together.