NYT Connections today — my hints and answers for Tuesday, December 17 (game #555)
Nice console games 
Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.
What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #555) – today’s words
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
- TISSUE
- CARPET
- WAX
- PLUCK
- DRAG
- NERVE
- CLAY
- GRAPH
- GRASS
- ARTERY
- HARD
- HEART
- DRIVE
- GRIT
- CONSTRUCTION
- AVENUE
NYT Connections today (game #555) – hint #1 – group hints
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Spirit
- GREEN: On the…
- BLUE: For wrapping and writing
- PURPLE: 40-15
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #555) – hint #2 – group answers
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: INTREPIDITY
- GREEN: ROAD
- BLUE: KINDS OF PAPER
- KINDS OF TENNIS COURTS
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #555) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections, game #555, are…
- YELLOW: INTREPIDITY GRIT, HEART, NERVE, PLUCK
- GREEN: ROAD ARTERY, AVENUE, DRAG, DRIVE
- BLUE: KINDS OF PAPER CONSTRUCTION, GRAPH, TISSUE, WAX
- PURPLE: KINDS OF TENNIS COURTS CARPET, CLAY, GRASS, HARD
- My rating: Hard
- My score: 2 mistakes
Perhaps if we were in the thick of the tennis season I would have got there a bit more quickly today, but having said that CARPET does not automatically spring to mind when you think of tennis surfaces. Presumably tennis carpet is different to the shag-pile material you might find in a living room – although I like the idea of Sinner and Alcaraz duking it out in their slippers.
Meanwhile, the only reason I got the Green group is because I used to have a friend who was always going on about going to the main DRAG on Saturday night. “You going down the drag?” he’d ask relentlessly.
I have to admit I was reluctant. Hitting the crowded bars and clubs in the center of town might be some people’s idea of a great night out, but I’ve always found it a bit of a drag. I’d rather watch tennis. Or play Connections.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Monday, 16 December, game #554)
- YELLOW: TYPES OF RADIO AM, HAM, SATELLITE, WALKIE-TALKIE
- GREEN: KINDS OF PLAY FIGHTS FOOD, PILLOW, SNOWBALL, WATER BALLOON
- BLUE: SNACK CAKES DEVIL DOG, DING DONG, HOHO, YODEL
- PURPLE: CLASSIC JOKE STAPLES BAR, CHICKEN, KNOCK-KNOCK, LIGHT BULB
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don’t technically need to solve the final one, as you’ll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What’s more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It’s playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
