Home News Wordplay Wednesdays: Crack the Crossword #563 from the New York Times

Wordplay Wednesdays: Crack the Crossword #563 from the New York Times

by Emma Jan 24,2025

It's Christmas Day, and it's time for another Connections puzzle from the New York Times! If you've tackled previous holiday puzzles, you know the NYT can be quite clever in subtly incorporating holiday themes.

Need a hand with today's puzzle? Look no further! This guide offers hints, category-specific assistance, and even full spoilers – everything you need except the game's rules.

Words in NYT Connections Puzzle #563 (December 25, 2024)

Today's puzzle includes: Queen, Star, Cupid, Strong, Rudolph, Sagittarius, Nanny, Comet, Vixen, Moon, Robin Hood, Shannon, Hawkeye, Fey, Jenny, and Planet.

Jenny: A Quick Definition

A "jenny" refers to a spinning jenny (a yarn-spinning machine), a female given name, a female animal of certain species, and a nautical slang term for a jib sail.

NYT Connections Puzzle Hints & Solutions

The following sections provide hints and answers, revealed progressively using "read more" style expansion.

General Hints

Here's a head start:

No group focuses solely on reindeer names.
No category is dedicated to female first names.
"Shannon" and "Strong" belong together.

Yellow Category (Easy): Hints

Consider these: black holes and satellites.

Yellow Category: Answer

The answer is Celestial Objects.

Yellow Category: Words

The words are: Comet, Moon, Planet, Star.

Green Category (Medium): Hints

Think about these: Katniss, Artemis, Legolas.

Green Category: Answer

The answer is Archers.

Green Category: Words

The words are: Cupid, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, Sagittarius.

Blue Category (Hard): Hints

Consider these: a doe, a hen, a molly.

Blue Category: Answer

The answer is Female Animals.

Blue Category: Words

The words are: Jenny, Nanny, Queen, Vixen.

Purple Category (Tricky): Hints

Think: Comedians.

Purple Category: Answer

The answer is SNL Cast Members.

Purple Category: Words

The words are: Fey, Rudolph, Shannon, Strong.

Complete Answers for NYT Connections #563

Yellow - Celestial Objects: Comet, Moon, Planet, Star
Green - Archers: Cupid, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, Sagittarius
Blue - Female Animals: Jenny, Nanny, Queen, Vixen
Purple - SNL Cast Members: Fey, Rudolph, Shannon, Strong

Ready to play? Visit the New York Times Games Connections website – it's accessible on most devices.

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