NYT Connections Hints and Answers for Dec. 15, 2024 (Game #553)

This is the archived NYT Connections puzzle for Sunday, December 15, 2024, game #553—not the different puzzle published on December 15, 2025. Start with a light nudge, then open the category clues or answer reveal only if you need more help.

Start with a spoiler-light nudge

Look for one group built from kitchen spices and another made of words meaning to do badly. The remaining themes involve reading quickly and pop singers whose names have lost their final letter.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! (New York Times Games Books)	$26.10	Buy on Amazon
2		The New York Times Strictly Medium Crossword Puzzles Volume 1: 200 Medium Puzzles	$7.75	Buy on Amazon
3		New York Times Games Monday Through Friday 50 Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles Volume 10 (New York...	$8.48	Buy on Amazon
4		The New York Times Monday Through Friday Easy to Tough Crossword Puzzles: 50 Puzzles from the Pages...	$13.98	Buy on Amazon
5		The New York Times Mini Crosswords, Volume 1: 150 Easy Fun-Sized Puzzles	$9.15	Buy on Amazon

Category clues

• One group names spices.
• One group means to perform poorly.
• One group describes skimming through pages.
• One group is pop singers’ names with the final “S” removed.

Answers for game #553

Spices: CLOVE, MACE, NUTMEG, PEPPER.

Perform poorly: FLAIL, FLOP, FLOUNDER, TANK.

The available published excerpts identify the other two category themes but do not show their complete word memberships, so those eight assignments cannot be verified here.

Why the year matters

“December 15” alone can point to more than one archived puzzle: this page covers the 2024 edition, numbered #553. A separate puzzle appeared on December 15, 2025, numbered #918. The date and game number together identify the intended grid.

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Sources and scope

The category themes and the two complete groups above are reported in secondary puzzle coverage: Forbes’ December 14, 2024 guide and TechRadar’s December 15, 2024 guide. This is not official NYT confirmation. These sources do not establish NYT’s rules, access terms, or subscription requirements.

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