Cracked! Your December 31st NYT Connections Solved

Ah, the New York Times Connections. It's that daily brain-teaser that can swing from delightfully simple to utterly infuriating, often within the same week. And if you found yourself scratching your head on December 31st, trying to connect those tricky word groups before the ball dropped, well, you were in good company! That particular puzzle definitely had a few clever curveballs. Don't worry if you didn't quite nail it; it happens to the best of us. But if you're still curious about how that grid was supposed to come together, or just want to confirm your hunches, let's take a little stroll down memory lane and break it all down.

Before we dive straight into the answers, let's chat about a few strategies that often come in handy with Connections. Sometimes, the most obvious connections aren't the right ones, and other times, they're exactly what you need. It's a delicate balance! My personal go-to move is to look for any words that immediately scream a category – proper nouns, very specific types of things, or words that share a common prefix or suffix. If you can snag one or two easy groups, it often makes the remaining words much simpler to sort out. The purple category, let's be honest, is almost always the trickiest, designed to trip you up with homophones, obscure puns, or just really niche groupings. So, if you're ever down to the last four and they seem totally random, chances are you've got the purple lurking there!

Alright, for those of you who just need a little nudge, a gentle push in the right direction for the December 31st puzzle, here are some hints for each category. Think of these as a friendly whisper, not a full reveal:

• Yellow Category Hint: Imagine items that often come packaged or are referred to with a specific four-letter word following them. Think about music, a letter carrier, or even medication.
• Green Category Hint: This group is all about sound, specifically different sub-genres within a very broad musical style. They're often associated with clubs or electronic beats.
• Blue Category Hint: Don't just think fruit here! Consider plants that are known for their climbing nature, winding their way up trellises or walls. Some of these are surprisingly common.
• Purple Category Hint: This one is a classic Connections trick. Focus less on how these words are spelled or what they mean, and more on a very specific, shared characteristic of their pronunciation – or lack thereof!

Still wrestling with it? That's perfectly fine! Connections can be delightfully stubborn. But if you're truly ready to throw in the towel, or simply want to bask in the satisfaction of seeing the puzzle laid bare, here are the full answers for the December 31st, 2023 NYT Connections puzzle. Get ready for the grand reveal:

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The Answers You've Been Waiting For:

Yellow Category: Words Before "Box"

• JUKE
• GEAR
• LETTER
• PILL

Green Category: Types of ___ Music

• HOUSE
• SOUL
• TECHNO
• TRAP

Blue Category: Things That Grow on a Vine

• GRAPE
• HOP
• IVY
• KUDZU

Purple Category: Words With Silent "P"

• PSALM
• PSEUDONYM
• PSYCHIC
• PTERODACTYL

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So, how did you do? Did those tricky silent 'P' words get you? Or maybe you were thinking of a different kind of "box" entirely? No matter what, there's always a new puzzle waiting to challenge us tomorrow. Keep those brain cells firing, and happy connecting!