“Connections” December 19: Hints and answers for puzzle #557

Connections is a daily word game published by The New York Times which was introduced in 2023.

In a short time it became a hit and was the second most played puzzle after that Wordle.

Below you will find game instructions and hints to help you solve the game. However, you will find the answers at the end of the article. So scroll with caution.

How to play “Connections.”

The categories vary in difficulty from yellow to green and blue to purple, with yellow being the easiest category and purple being the most difficult.

For example, in a recent game, the words “braid,” “bun,” “bangs,” and “twist” were linked together in the category “Ways to Wear Your Hair Up.” This was a blue category.

After selecting four words, click the “Send” button. If your selections match a category, they will be displayed in the category color and hidden from the grid. However, if they are incorrect, they remain gray and remain on the board.

If you get stuck, try using the Shuffle button to move the words elsewhere in the grid.

“My main advice is to hold off on guessing for as long as possible,” says Wyna Liu, game editor at Justpreviously told Newsweek. “You may discover a clear category and think you see five words that match, but don’t try to guess the four until you’re sure which one doesn’t belong. If you get in too early it could cost you a train.”