NYT Connections #570 is the archived Wednesday, January 1, 2025 puzzle. Its answers are four slimy animals, four things that luminesce, four Dutch symbols, and four words whose endings suggest a “plunge.” Use the hints first, then scroll to the spoiler-marked solution.
NYT Connections #570 was published on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. The four groups are slimy animals, things that luminesce, Dutch symbols, and words ending in synonyms for “plunge.”
This is the archived January 1, 2025 puzzle—not the separate January 1 puzzle from 2026 that can appear in search results. If you want to solve it yourself, the 16-word grid and graduated clues are below. The full answers are farther down behind a spoiler warning.
The NYT Connections #570 words
Here is the complete grid:
| Words | Words | Words | Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| EARTHWORM | CLOG | SLUG | WATERFALL |
| GLOWSTICK | RAINDROP | CANAL | FIREFLY |
| WINDMILL | RADIUM | SKYDIVE | SALAMANDER |
| AURORA | EEL | TULIP | GATECRASH |
Hints for Connections #570
These clues move from the generally easiest group to the trickiest. Stop here if you only want a nudge.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →- Yellow: Slithering or slimy creatures.
- Green: Things that produce, emit, or visibly display light.
- Blue: Familiar symbols or sights associated with the Netherlands.
- Purple: The endings of these words are synonyms for “plunge.”
A practical way to solve the grid
The most immediately recognizable set is probably the Netherlands group: a CANAL, CLOG, TULIP, and WINDMILL all evoke familiar Dutch imagery. Removing those words makes the remaining relationships easier to see.
Next, look for the things associated with visible light: an AURORA, FIREFLY, GLOWSTICK, and RADIUM. The set deliberately mixes a natural phenomenon, an animal, a manufactured light source, and a chemical element, so the connection is the glow rather than the type of object.
The slimy-animal group is made up of EARTHWORM, EEL, SALAMANDER, and SLUG. Once those are removed, the four remaining entries expose the wordplay behind the purple group.
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Spoiler: the Connections #570 answers
Warning: the complete solution is below.
Yellow: Slimy animals
EARTHWORM, EEL, SALAMANDER, SLUG
These animals are commonly associated with slippery, slimy, or moist surfaces. The category is intentionally broad: several other entries also suggest nature or the outdoors, which can make the group harder to lock in at first.
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Green: Things that luminesce
AURORA, FIREFLY, GLOWSTICK, RADIUM
Each word can be associated with visible light or a glow. The group spans different kinds of things: the aurora is a natural atmospheric display, a firefly is a living organism, a glowstick is a manufactured light source, and radium is a chemical element associated with luminescence.
Blue: Dutch symbols
CANAL, CLOG, TULIP, WINDMILL
These are widely recognized cultural or visual associations with the Netherlands. Canals are particularly associated with Amsterdam; wooden clogs, tulips, and traditional windmills are also familiar Dutch symbols.
Purple: Words ending with synonyms for “plunge”
GATECRASH, RAINDROP, SKYDIVE, WATERFALL
The key is to ignore the meaning of each complete word and examine its ending:
- GATECRASH ends in CRASH.
- RAINDROP ends in DROP.
- SKYDIVE ends in DIVE.
- WATERFALL ends in FALL.
“Crash,” “drop,” “dive,” and “fall” can each describe a plunge or a rapid downward movement. This is the puzzle’s most deceptive category because the complete words belong to unrelated subjects: trespassing, weather, parachuting, and moving water.
Why this puzzle is deceptive
Several entries encourage a broad nature-related guess. EARTHWORM, WATERFALL, FIREFLY, and WINDMILL can all appear to belong together if you focus on outdoor imagery. But they are deliberately separated into four different groups:
- EARTHWORM belongs with the slimy animals.
- WATERFALL belongs in the suffix-based plunge group because of FALL.
- FIREFLY belongs with things that luminesce.
- WINDMILL belongs with the Dutch symbols.
The puzzle also uses different levels of abstraction. The yellow group is based on what the animals are like, the green group on what the entries do or display, the blue group on cultural association, and the purple group on word endings. That shift in how the words connect is what makes the final four especially difficult.
Complete answer recap
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Slimy animals | EARTHWORM, EEL, SALAMANDER, SLUG |
| Green | Things that luminesce | AURORA, FIREFLY, GLOWSTICK, RADIUM |
| Blue | Dutch symbols | CANAL, CLOG, TULIP, WINDMILL |
| Purple | Endings that mean or suggest “plunge” | GATECRASH, RAINDROP, SKYDIVE, WATERFALL |
Want more Connections-style puzzles?
For readers who enjoy the grouping format away from the daily digital game, a New York Times Connections puzzle book is an optional screen-free companion. It is a separate physical product and should not be assumed to contain this exact archived puzzle #570; check the current edition and listing details before buying.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
When was NYT Connections #570 published?
NYT Connections #570 was the Wednesday, January 1, 2025 puzzle. It is different from the separate puzzle published on January 1, 2026.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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What are the categories in Connections #570?
The four categories are slimy animals; things that luminesce; Dutch symbols; and words ending with synonyms for “plunge.”
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What is the hardest group in Connections #570?
The purple answers are GATECRASH, RAINDROP, SKYDIVE, and WATERFALL. Their endings are CRASH, DROP, DIVE, and FALL.
The Bottom Line
NYT Connections #570, from January 1, 2025, breaks down as follows: EARTHWORM, EEL, SALAMANDER, SLUG for slimy animals; AURORA, FIREFLY, GLOWSTICK, RADIUM for things that luminesce; CANAL, CLOG, TULIP, WINDMILL for Dutch symbols; and GATECRASH, RAINDROP, SKYDIVE, WATERFALL for words ending in synonyms for “plunge.”
Quick Recap
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