If you are holding up a magnifying glass to try to solve today’s Connections puzzle Scooby-Doo style, then it is time to get a hint or two before you dive back in. Today there are a fair number of words that I think could go into multiple categories, and it was enough to nearly keep me from winning today, as I ended the puzzle with a “Phew” rating. However, I managed to get the win, and I am going to help you get the win as well with the following hints.
If you want to try out a puzzle that is both more challenging and a little more forgiving than Connections, try playing the NYT’s Letter Boxed puzzle. I find it more challenging than Connections, as there is a bit more you have to keep in mind and the rules are a little more complicated as well. However, it is more forgiving because you do not get any kind of limit on the number of guesses you have, except for the end-of-day limit. This makes it a fun puzzle to at least try, and you can always quit while you’re ahead.
Today’s Connections Category Hints
DECEMBER 09 #547
Today the real trick is just getting the words into the right places, as there are a lot of words that feel like they overlap. You will have to get very specific and look closely at the details to understand just how to separate some of these words out, but it is possible. To help you get those details down, here are four clues for you:
- One category is about something you do when you take a long time to think about something
- One category is about things that can be used to perform an action that would be helpful in a survival situation
- One category is about things that can be used to perform an action that typically takes place in a lab
- One category is about words that can all come after the same letter to make a different word

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NYT Mini Crossword: 8 Strategies To Solve It Fast
This tricky little five by five crossword isn’t always as easy as it looks; here are a couple easy tips and tricks to beat your friends’ times!
If you still need some help with those pesky details, use the category names and then the spoilers below to help you out:
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DELIBERATION |
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USED IN STARTING A FIRE |
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USED TO VIEW A BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE |
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WORDS AFTER “X” |
Today’s Connections Answers
DECEMBER 09 #547
Yellow Answers: Revealed & Explained
DELIBERATION |
|||
---|---|---|---|
CONSIDERATION |
REFLECTION |
SCRUTINY |
THOUGHT |
While not the first category I got today, I did get this one fairly fast. I think this one was more straightforward than the others, but it was still difficult. SCRUTINY does sound like it could belong with some of the other words, and FACTOR is the most likely candidate for a red herring here. REFLECTION is also an interesting catch, as I thought about putting it in the green category, but luckily, I THOUGHT that these four words did belong together more than the others did. However, that just proves that today’s puzzle could be quite confusing.
Green Answers: Revealed & Explained
USED IN STARTING A FIRE |
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---|---|---|---|
FLINT |
LIGHTER |
MAGNIFYING GLASS |
MATCHES |
With most of these categories, it keeps getting a little more tricky. MAGNIFYING GLASS is a real contender that could throw of your game entirely. It can very easily swing between this category and the next, and if you don’t know that it can start a fire, you are going to be in trouble. Additionally, a light RAY can start a fire, and REFLECTION is what directs rays to make a fire. Figuring out how to separate these will take looking at all of the other words as well, which is how I narrowed this one down.

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Blue Answers: Revealed & Explained
USED TO VIEW A BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE |
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---|---|---|---|
MICROSCOPE |
SLIDE |
SPECIMEN |
STAIN |
This could just be quite an extensive list of science-related items, in which the aforementioned MAGNIFYING GLASS as well as FILES could all be here. RAY is again a bit of a wild card. Additionally, STAIN feels less like it belongs than a lot of other words in the puzzle. These two categories are just a little too close for comfort, and the last category isn’t helpful with some of the words it uses either. It’s a tough puzzle day, but you can do it with a lot of deliberation.
Purple Answers: Revealed & Explained
WORDS AFTER “X” |
|||
---|---|---|---|
FACTOR |
FILES |
GAMES |
RAY |
This one I actually got third, before the previous category. That is, in part, due to all of the reasons I already stated, but something clicked when I was trying to figure out which words didn’t belong in the previous category, and I realized there was a show called X-FILES. Once I did, it all fell into place for the rest of these words, and it made me breathe a deep sigh of relief.
Other Games Like Connections
Check out these puzzles for even more challenging but fun times.
Game Name |
How To Play |
Is It Free To Play? |
---|---|---|
Wordle (NYT) |
Solve a random five-letter word by using color clues. Every Wordle answer can be found in our daily updated list. |
Yes |
Hello Wordl |
Very similar to Wordle, where players change the number of letters in the word. |
Yes |
The Password Game |
Create a password in this ever-changing, not-so-simple game. You can find some helpful tips in our Password Game guide. |
Yes |
Worldle |
Name a country based only on its silhouette, and a few geographical hints. |
Yes |

- Released
- June 12, 2023
- Developer(s)
- The New York Times Company
- Publisher(s)
- The New York Times Company
- ESRB
- e
- Platform(s)
- Web Browser , Mobile
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