Connections Hints

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — December 31, 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.

BALL DROP
BAY LEAF
BERMUDA TRIANGLE
BLACK HOLE
BROTHERLY LOVE
CHAMPAGNE FLUTE
CHANNEL SURF
CHEESESTEAK
COUCH CUSHIONS
DRYER
FIREWORKS
LIBERTY BELL
NOISEMAKER
ROCKY
SEA BASS
SOUND BARRIER
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Themes

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR!Straightforward
PLACES WHERE THINGS DISAPPEARModerate
ASSOCIATED WITH PHILADELPHIATricky
STARTING WITH BODIES OF WATERDevious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!Straightforward
THINGS YOU'D ENCOUNTER AT A NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION+ 3 more…
PLACES WHERE THINGS DISAPPEARModerate
MYSTERIOUS SPOTS WHERE SOCKS, SUBS, AND SHIPS VANISH WITHOUT A TRACE+ 3 more…
ASSOCIATED WITH PHILADELPHIATricky
ICONS AND SYMBOLS STRONGLY TIED TO THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE+ 3 more…
STARTING WITH BODIES OF WATERDevious
EACH PHRASE SECRETLY BEGINS WITH A BODY OF WATER+ 3 more…
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Full solution
HAPPY NEW YEAR!Straightforward
BALL DROP,CHAMPAGNE FLUTE,FIREWORKS,NOISEMAKER

Ball drop, champagne flute, fireworks, and noisemaker are all classic symbols and traditions associated with ringing in the New Year.

PLACES WHERE THINGS DISAPPEARModerate
BERMUDA TRIANGLE,BLACK HOLE,COUCH CUSHIONS,DRYER

Bermuda Triangle, black hole, couch cushions, and the dryer are all infamous for making things disappear — whether scientifically, mythically, or frustratingly in everyday life.

ASSOCIATED WITH PHILADELPHIATricky
BROTHERLY LOVE,CHEESESTEAK,LIBERTY BELL,ROCKY

Brotherly love (Philadelphia's nickname origin), cheesesteak, Liberty Bell, and Rocky are all closely associated with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

STARTING WITH BODIES OF WATERDevious
BAY LEAF,CHANNEL SURF,SEA BASS,SOUND BARRIER

BAY leaf, CHANNEL surf, SEA bass, and SOUND barrier each begin with a body of water (bay, channel, sea, sound).

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