**Connections: The Latest Word Game Sensation from The New York Times**
*Connections*, the latest word puzzle from *The New York Times*, has swiftly won over the hearts of puzzle fans worldwide. The game invites players to discover “shared themes among words,” providing an innovative twist on word challenges. Much like the popular *Wordle*, *Connections* resets every day at midnight, with each new challenge growing in difficulty. If you find yourself perplexed, we have hints and strategies to assist you in solving today’s puzzle.
If you’re eager for the solution, just scroll down to the conclusion of this article. However, if you’d rather solve it independently, continue reading for hints, tactics, and advice to aid you.
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### What Is *Connections*?
The *New York Times*’ newest daily word puzzle has rapidly turned into a sensation on social media. Developed with the collaboration of associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, *Connections* has become a key feature in the *Times*’ Games section. Accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, the game challenges players to categorize four words that share a common theme.
Each puzzle features 16 words, which players must arrange into four unique categories. These categories may include anything from book titles to software names, nationalities, and more. Though certain words may appear to fit into multiple categories, there is only one correct arrangement.
When players successfully match all four words within a category, those words are removed from the game board. However, incorrect guesses are counted as errors, and players have a maximum of four errors allowed per game. To simplify the process, players can shuffle the board to better identify connections. Each category is color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), followed by green, blue, and purple. Similar to *Wordle*, players can post their results on social media to see how they rank against friends.
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### Hints for Today’s *Connections* Categories
Need some assistance? Here are hints to navigate today’s categories without revealing the answers:
– **Yellow:** Bravery, guts, or valor
– **Green:** Types of routes
– **Blue:** Uses for paper
– **Purple:** Avenues for tennis games
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### Today’s *Connections* Categories
Still finding it tough? Here are today’s exact categories for the puzzle:
– **Yellow:** Valor
– **Green:** Route
– **Blue:** Types of Paper
– **Purple:** Types of Tennis Courts
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### Today’s *Connections* Solution
Ready to discover the answers? This is your last opportunity to solve the puzzle before we unveil the solution. A drumroll, please!
The answer to *Connections* #555 is:
– **Valor:** GRIT, HEALTH, NERVE, PLUCK
– **Route:** ARTERY, AVENUE, DRAG, DRIVE
– **Types of Paper:** CONSTRUCTION, GRAPH, TISSUE, WAX
– **Types of Tennis Courts:** CARPET, CLAY, GRASS, HARD
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Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t solve it this round—tomorrow’s puzzle awaits your skills. We’ll return with more hints and answers to enhance your gameplay.
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### Seeking More Games?
If you love puzzles, visit Mashable’s game hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. You can also check out other *New York Times* games such as *Wordle* and *Strands*. Looking for the solution to yesterday’s *Connections*? [Discover it here.](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-16)
Enjoy your puzzling!