**Connections: The New York Times Word Game Taking the Internet by Storm**

*Connections* is the newest word puzzle from *The New York Times* that has taken the internet by storm among puzzle lovers. This captivating game invites players to discover “common threads between words.” Like *Wordle*, *Connections* updates daily at midnight, with each new challenge escalating in difficulty. To assist you in navigating these complex puzzles, we have put together some tips and strategies for you.

If you’re seeking today’s answer, feel free to skip to the end of this article. But if you wish to tackle it on your own, continue reading for useful hints and suggestions.

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### What is *Connections*?

The *New York Times* has introduced *Connections* to its games lineup, a daily word challenge that has become wildly popular on social media. Developed with the expertise of associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, the game is accessible on both web browsers and mobile platforms. The objective? Categorize four words that share a connection.

Each puzzle contains 16 words, which must be sorted into four distinct categories. These categories can cover anything from book titles to software names, countries, and beyond. Although some words may appear to group together, there is only one correct answer for each set.

When players accurately group four words, those words are eliminated from the board. However, wrong guesses are counted as errors, and players are permitted up to four errors before the game concludes. To facilitate the process, players can shuffle the board to better identify connections. Every group is color-coded based on difficulty: yellow (easiest), followed by green, blue, and purple. And just like *Wordle*, you can share your scores with friends on social media.

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### Tips for Solving *Connections*

Having trouble with today’s puzzle? Here’s a clue for each category to assist you:

– **Yellow:** Circular shapes or patterns
– **Green:** Utensils for cooking or baking
– **Blue:** Types or styles of beds
– **Purple:** Related to Oscar

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### Today’s *Connections* Categories

In need of further assistance? Here are today’s categories:

– **Yellow:** Loop
– **Green:** Cooking Utensils
– **Blue:** Types of Beds
– **Purple:** Items Named “Oscar”

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### Today’s *Connections* Solution

Ready for the solutions? This is your final opportunity to step back and complete the puzzle independently before we disclose the answers. Drumroll, please!

The solution to today’s *Connections* #559 is:

– **Loop:** BAND, CIRCLE, HOOP, RING
– **Cooking Utensils:** CASSEROLE, CROCK, PAN, POT
– **Types of Beds:** BUNK, CANOPY, MURPHY, SLEIGH
– **Items Named “Oscar”:** BALONEY, GROUCH, O, STATUETTE

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Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t crack it this time—there’s always tomorrow! A brand-new *Connections* puzzle will be waiting for you, and we’ll return with more hints and solutions to assist you along the way.

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### Looking for More Games?

If puzzles are your passion, *The New York Times* and Mashable have much to offer. Explore *Wordle*, *The Mini Crossword*, or even Mashable’s games section, which includes Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more.

Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Here’s the answer.](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-20)

Happy puzzling!