A new day dawns with a fresh new puzzle wall to solve in the New York Times’ Connections game. The mind-bending game comes up with a daily challenge where logic meets pattern. The puzzle requires players to sort 16 words into four groups of four, connected by a shared theme.
Here are some tips for NYT Connections newbies that’ll help boost your game and maintain impeccable records. Firstly, start with the yellow group as it’s usually a breeze and gets players rolling. Another pro trick is to hit shuffle to mix things up. A fresh word order makes it easier to spot underlying threads.
For avid puzzlers seeking an easy way to continue their puzzle-cracking streak this holiday season, here are all the clues and answers to help them navigate the tricky connections and emerge victorious today, on December 26.
Connections hint for December 26
The puzzle words for today are: Movie Exec, Cringe, Foreigner, Widow, Valley Girl, Buddy, Journey, Panther, Surfer, Screwball, America, Forest, Chicago, Tech Bro, Friday, and Stoner.
For puzzle solvers stuck on NYT Connections for December 26, here are some clues to help save their streak:
- Yellow Group: This category is giving off California vibes with some quintessential character tropes.
- Green Group: Words in this category relate to comedy films and the subgenres they come in.
- Blue Group: This group includes the names of some iconic bands that rocked the ’70s.
- Purple Group: Today’s purple category comprises words that usually follow the name of a color.
Note: Tread carefully with the music category, as some options might fit but aren’t actually part of the group.
What are the Connections answers for today, December 26?
Puzzle enthusiasts ready to confirm their answers for the connection puzzle of December 26, 2025, can find them below:
Yellow Category: California-Based Character Tropes – Movie Exec, Surfer, Tech Bro, Valley Girl
Green Category: Comedy Subgenres – Buddy, Cringe, Screwball, Stoner
Blue Category: ’70s Rock Bands – America, Chicago, Foreigner, Journey
Purple Category: Black _____ – Forest, Friday, Panther, Widow
For those intrigued, the New York Times Connections game is available for free on the NYT website and the Games app.
