On 21 December 2025 the NYT Connections puzzle blended everyday objects, wordplay, and abstract ideas, challenging solvers to form four precise groups of four—below are today’s hints and complete answers.
The NYT Connections puzzle tasks players with sorting 16 words into four connected groups of four. On 21 December 2025, the grid leaned on familiar nouns and verbs, with a mix of literal meanings and phrase-based logic. Some groupings felt obvious early, while others required careful rethinking. Below, you’ll find spoiler-free hints first, followed by the full solutions.
NYT Connections puzzle overview: 21 December 2025
Today’s grid felt balanced but sneaky. A couple of categories jumped out quickly thanks to clear definitions, while the trickiest group relied on completing a shared phrase. Overall, it rewarded solvers who tested multiple interpretations before locking anything in.
NYT Connections hints: 21 December 2025
Category 1:
- Think about something coming into being
- Often used for ideas or movements
- Can describe beginnings or outcomes
- Verbs with a sense of appearing
Category 2:
- Physical parts of a common household item
- Found together in one object
- Related to serving a hot drink
- Mostly functional components
Category 3:
- Places or divisions inside a building
- Associated with books and research
- You might see signs for these
- Common in schools and universities
Category 4:
- All pair with the same word
- Forms familiar compound terms
- Often linked to water or motion
- The shared word comes after each
NYT Connections answers: 21 December 2025
Here are the answers, grouped by category.
Category 1: arise
Category 2: features of a teapot
Category 3: library sections
Category 4: ___ drop
Conclusion & quick strategy tip
The 21 December 2025 Connections puzzle was approachable but clever, especially with its clean mix of concrete and abstract groupings. Quick strategy tip: when stuck, look for words that complete the same phrase—you’ll often uncover the final category.
