Connections Hints
Thursday, December 25, 2025
Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — December 25, 2025
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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.
CHERRY
COIN
EXCESSIVE
FASHION
FLOWER
FLOWERY
HATCH
LAREDO
MAKE UP
MELODRAMATIC
MIRE
MUSICAL NOTE
PURPLE
RETIRE
SOLTI
WINE GLASS
Themes
The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.
ORNATE, AS PROSEStraightforward
CREATEModerate
THINGS WITH STEMSTricky
COMPRISED OF SOLFEGE (DO-RE-MI)Devious
One word per group
Theme name plus one word from each category.
ORNATE, AS PROSEStraightforward
WORDS DESCRIBING WRITING THAT'S OVER-THE-TOP AND SHOWY+ 3 more…
CREATEModerate
SYNONYMS FOR INVENTING OR BRINGING SOMETHING INTO EXISTENCE+ 3 more…
THINGS WITH STEMSTricky
OBJECTS THAT ALL HAVE A SLENDER STALK-LIKE PART+ 3 more…
COMPRISED OF SOLFEGE (DO-RE-MI)Devious
WORDS OR NAMES HIDING SOLFEGE SYLLABLES (DO, RE, MI, FA, SOL, LA, TI)+ 3 more…
Full solution
ORNATE, AS PROSEStraightforward
EXCESSIVE,FLOWERY,MELODRAMATIC,PURPLE
EXCESSIVE, FLOWERY, MELODRAMATIC, and PURPLE all describe writing or prose that is overly ornate and theatrical
CREATEModerate
COIN,HATCH,FASHION,MAKE UP
COIN, HATCH, FASHION, and MAKE UP all mean to create or invent something, such as a word, plan, or story
THINGS WITH STEMSTricky
CHERRY,FLOWER,MUSICAL NOTE,WINE GLASS
A CHERRY, FLOWER, MUSICAL NOTE, and WINE GLASS all physically have stems as part of their structure
COMPRISED OF SOLFEGE (DO-RE-MI)Devious
LAREDO,MIRE,RETIRE,SOLTI
LAREDO contains LA-RE-DO, MIRE contains MI-RE, RETIRE contains RE-TI-RE, and SOLTI contains SOL-TI — each word contains consecutive solfege syllables