New York Times Sunday Crossword #563: Hints and Answers

It's Christmas Day, and the New York Times Connections puzzle is back with a festive challenge! If you've tackled previous holiday puzzles, you know the NYT can be subtly tricky. Need help with today's puzzle, Connections #563 (December 25, 2024)? Look no further. This guide provides hints, category-specific assistance, and even complete spoilers, all without revealing the core gameplay rules.

The Words: Queen, Star, Cupid, Strong, Rudolph, Sagittarius, Nanny, Comet, Vixen, Moon, Robin Hood, Shannon, Hawkeye, Fey, Jenny, Planet.

Understanding "Jenny":

The word "Jenny" has multiple meanings: a spinning machine, a female name, a female animal (in some species), and a nautical term (genoa).

Hints and Solutions:

General Hints:

1. No reindeer names are grouped together.
2. No categories are solely female first names.
3. "Shannon" and "Strong" belong to the same category.

Yellow Category (Easy):

Hint: Think about black holes and satellites.

Answer: Celestial Objects (Comet, Moon, Planet, Star)

Green Category (Medium):

Hint: Consider Katniss, Artemis, and Legolas.

Answer: Archers (Cupid, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, Sagittarius)

Blue Category (Hard):

Hint: Think of a doe, a hen, and a molly.

Answer: Female Animals (Jenny, Nanny, Queen, Vixen)

Purple Category (Tricky):

Hint: Consider comedians.

Answer: SNL Cast Members (Fey, Rudolph, Shannon, Strong)

Complete Solution:

• Yellow: Celestial Objects (Comet, Moon, Planet, Star)
• Green: Archers (Cupid, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, Sagittarius)
• Blue: Female Animals (Jenny, Nanny, Queen, Vixen)
• Purple: SNL Cast Members (Fey, Rudolph, Shannon, Strong)

Ready to play? Visit the New York Times Games Connections website – it's accessible on most devices.