Connections Hints

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — December 11, 2024

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Show the word gridAll 16 words — you figure out the groups
Show the themesCategory names only, no words revealed
One word per groupTheme name + one word per category
Full solutionAll words and explanations
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Word grid

All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.

HAIRSPRAY
JAZZERCISE
KETCHUM
MAGIC 8 BALL
PARADISE
PARALYMPICS
PAYPAL
POKÉMON
PRIMATE
ROSEBUD
SALAD DRESSING
SEVENTH HEAVEN
SHANGRI-LA
SNOWGLOBE
WIKIPEDIA
XANADU
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Themes

The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.

UTOPIAStraightforward
THINGS YOU SHAKEModerate
PROPER NOUN PORTMANTEAUXTricky
ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR “FRIEND”Devious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

UTOPIAStraightforward
PLACES THAT REPRESENT A PERFECT, BLISSFUL EXISTENCE+ 3 more…
THINGS YOU SHAKEModerate
THESE THINGS NEED A GOOD SHAKE BEFORE OR DURING USE+ 3 more…
PROPER NOUN PORTMANTEAUXTricky
WORDS CREATED BY BLENDING TWO PROPER NOUNS TOGETHER+ 3 more…
ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR “FRIEND”Devious
EACH WORD ENDS WITH A SYNONYM FOR 'PAL'+ 3 more…
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Full solution
UTOPIAStraightforward
PARADISE,SEVENTH HEAVEN,SHANGRI-LA,XANADU

PARADISE, SEVENTH HEAVEN, SHANGRI-LA, and XANADU are all words or phrases meaning an idealized, perfect place — a utopia.

THINGS YOU SHAKEModerate
HAIRSPRAY,MAGIC 8 BALL,SALAD DRESSING,SNOWGLOBE

HAIRSPRAY, MAGIC 8 BALL, SALAD DRESSING, and SNOWGLOBE are all things you shake — to mix, activate, or create an effect.

PROPER NOUN PORTMANTEAUXTricky
JAZZERCISE,PARALYMPICS,POKÉMON,WIKIPEDIA

JAZZERCISE (Jazz + Exercise), PARALYMPICS (Parallel + Olympics), POKÉMON (Pocket + Monsters), and WIKIPEDIA (Wiki + Encyclopedia) are all portmanteaux made from two proper nouns.

ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR “FRIEND”Devious
KETCHUM,PAYPAL,PRIMATE,ROSEBUD

KETCHUM ends in CHUM, PAYPAL ends in PAL, PRIMATE ends in MATE, and ROSEBUD ends in BUD — all synonyms for 'friend.'

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