NYT Connections Hints December 18: Answers and Help for Puzzle 921

The NYT Connections puzzle for December 18, 2025, is now available, and many players found it challenging. Puzzle No. 921 asked solvers to group 16 words into four hidden categories.

This guide provides verified hints and the full set of answers for the December 18 edition. The information is based on the officially published puzzle released by The New York Times.

NYT Connections Hints December 18 Explained

The Connections puzzle requires players to identify shared themes across words that may appear unrelated at first glance. Each puzzle contains four groups ranked by difficulty, from yellow as the easiest to purple as the most complex.

For December 18, the puzzle tested abstract thinking, pop culture familiarity, and word association skills. According to coverage from CNET and The New York Times Games section, many solvers struggled most with the final category.

Here are the official hints released for each color group in puzzle No. 921:

• Yellow group hint: We can hope
• Green group hint: Main character
• Blue group hint: Pass the glue
• Purple group hint: Relating to society

These hints were designed to nudge players without revealing the answers directly. The difficulty increased sharply between the blue and purple groups.

The Times also encourages players to review their performance using the Connections Bot, which analyzes guesses and tracks long-term progress for registered users.

Complete Answers for NYT Connections Puzzle 921

The confirmed answers for the December 18, 2025 puzzle are grouped below by category. Each group shares a specific, verified theme.

Yellow Group: Bit of wishful thinking

• Daydream
• Fancy
• Fantasy
• Illusion

This group focused on imagined outcomes or hopeful mental states. The words often appear interchangeable in casual use, which added mild difficulty.

Green Group: Protagonist

• Hero
• Lead
• Principal
• Star

These terms describe the central figure in a story, film, or narrative. Several words also carry secondary meanings, which could mislead players early.

Blue Group: Component of an arts and crafts project

• Felt
• Glitter
• Pipe cleaner
• Pompom

This category leaned into hands-on materials. Many players reportedly solved this group faster due to its concrete theme.

Purple Group: Social ____

• Butterfly
• Media
• Security
• Worker

The purple group relied on word pairing rather than direct meaning. This made it the most difficult category in Puzzle 921.

NYT Connections hints December 18 highlighted the game’s continued emphasis on layered wordplay. Puzzle 921 reinforced why Connections remains one of the Times’ most engaging daily challenges.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What is NYT Connections puzzle 921?

NYT Connections puzzle 921 is the daily word grouping game released on December 18, 2025. Players must sort 16 words into four related groups.

Q2: How difficult was the NYT Connections puzzle on December 18?

Many players reported above-average difficulty. The purple category caused the most confusion due to its abstract word pairing.

Q3: What was the hardest group in Connections 921?

The purple group, built around the phrase “social ____,” was widely considered the hardest. It required recognizing compound word usage.

Q4: Where can players check their Connections performance?

The New York Times offers a Connections Bot within its Games section. It provides scores, streaks, and detailed puzzle analysis.

Q5: Are Connections puzzles released daily?

Yes. NYT Connections is released every day alongside Wordle and other New York Times word games.