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Wednesday, December 4, 2024, was NYT Connections puzzle #542. Here are four progressive hints, followed by the category names and answers for anyone ready to see the full solution.
Hints for Connections #542
Try these in order before revealing the answers:
- To take charge or show someone the way.
- Each word has something thin, sharp, and pointed in common.
- Names associated with ancient stories.
- Look at the beginning of each word for a synonym for a bathroom fixture.
The first three hints are from Larry Slawson’s December 4, 2024 Parade guide; the fourth restates its wordplay clue.
Answers for December 4, 2024
Spoilers below: the category labels and all 16 answers follow.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | STEER | DIRECT, GUIDE, LEAD, SHEPHERD |
| Green | THINGS WITH NEEDLE(S) | COMPASS, PINE TREE, SEWING KIT, TURNTABLE |
| Blue | FIGURES IN GREEK MYTH | ATLAS, ECHO, HELEN, PAN |
| Purple | STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR LAVATORY | CANDLE, JOHNSON, LOOFAH, TOILETRIES |
The puzzle number, date, categories, and groups are reported in both the Try Hard Guides answer guide and Parade’s guide.
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Why the purple group works
This is a word-starting trick, not a literal category shared by the complete words. The beginnings are “can” in CANDLE, “john” in JOHNSON, “loo” in LOOFAH, and “toilet” in TOILETRIES—each a synonym for a lavatory. The rest of each word completes a familiar word.
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