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Spoiler warning: The complete solution to NYT Connections puzzle #928, published Thursday, December 25, 2025, appears below. Its four groups are ORNATE, AS PROSE; CREATE; THINGS WITH STEMS; and COMPRISED OF SOLFEGE (DO-RE-MI).
Hints for Connections #928
If you want a nudge before seeing the answers, try these prompts in order:
- Shower with compliments.
- Draw up from scratch.
- Some fruits have them.
- Sing out.
All four answer groups
| Category | Words | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| ORNATE, AS PROSE | EXCESSIVE, FLOWERY, MELODRAMATIC, PURPLE | All can describe elaborate or overdecorated prose. |
| CREATE | COIN, FASHION, HATCH, MAKE UP | Each can mean to create or devise something. |
| THINGS WITH STEMS | CHERRY, FLOWER, MUSICAL NOTE, WINE GLASS | Each can have or include a stem. |
| COMPRISED OF SOLFEGE (DO-RE-MI) | LAREDO, MIRE, RETIRE, SOLTI | Each contains adjacent syllables from solfege. |
How the connections work
ORNATE, AS PROSE
EXCESSIVE, FLOWERY, MELODRAMATIC, and PURPLE can all describe writing that feels elaborate or overdone. “Purple” appears in the expression “purple prose,” referring to writing considered excessively ornate.
CREATE
COIN, FASHION, HATCH, and MAKE UP can each mean to create or devise: coin a term, fashion a plan, hatch an idea, or make something up.
THINGS WITH STEMS
CHERRY, FLOWER, MUSICAL NOTE, and WINE GLASS each connect to a stem: a cherry may have one, a flower has a stem, musical notes can be written with stems, and a wine glass has a stem.
COMPRISED OF SOLFEGE (DO-RE-MI)
The final group hides adjacent note-name syllables inside each answer: LAREDO contains LA-RE-DO, MIRE contains MI-RE, RETIRE contains RE-TI-RE, and SOLTI contains SOL-TI. Solfege is a music-education system that uses syllables such as Do, Re, and Mi to represent musical pitches, as explained in TechRadar’s guide to this puzzle.
Rank #2
This last category is less direct than the first three: LAREDO may initially read as the Texas city, and SOLTI as a surname, rather than as strings of solfege syllables. You can play Connections on the NYT Games site, on desktop or mobile.
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