NYT Connections for Tuesday, December 16, 2025, is game #919. Start with the spoiler-free clues below; the four category names and all 16 answers follow after a warning.
Hints for Connections #919
Try these clues before revealing the groups:
- Think of dances with a step—and sometimes a hip swivel.
- These words refer to descendants or a family line.
- Look for four films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
- Each word begins with the name of a percussion instrument.
Connections answers for December 16, 2025
Spoilers below: The category labels and answers are revealed next.
| Color | Category | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Dances | BOLERO, FOXTROT, MAMBO, QUICKSTEP |
| Green | Descendants | BROOD, FAMILY, OFFSPRING, POSTERITY |
| Blue | Hitchcock movies | LIFEBOAT, ROPE, SPELLBOUND, SUSPICION |
| Purple | Starting with percussion instruments | BELLHOP, CHIMERA, DRUMROLL, RATTLESNAKE |
How the trickiest group works
The purple group is built from the beginnings of the words: BELLhop, CHIMEra, DRUMroll, and RATTLEsnake. The instrument names are BELL, CHIME, DRUM, and RATTLE.
There is also a tempting overlap in word endings: HOP, SPRING, BOUND, TROT, ROLL, and STEP can all suggest kinds of movement. That can make words such as BELLHOP, OFFSPRING, SPELLBOUND, FOXTROT, DRUMROLL, and QUICKSTEP look as if they belong together, even though the puzzle’s actual categories divide them differently.
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How Connections works
Connections presents 16 tiles to sort into four groups of four. Forbes says players may make three incorrect guesses; a fourth wrong guess ends the game. Its guide also reports that the archive is available to NYT All Access or Games subscribers, but subscription terms can change. TechRadar describes a new puzzle appearing at midnight in each time zone and play through the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile; check the current site for availability and access details.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
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