Quick take: today’s Connections spins through dance styles, family lines, classic Hitchcock films, and a sneaky wordplay group built around musical instruments. Purple is clever. Blue rewards movie fans. Scroll for hints or the full answers when you’re ready.
QUICK SUMMARY
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Game Name | NYT Connections |
| Puzzle # | 919 |
| Date | December 16, 2025 |
| Theme Categories | Dances • Descendants • Hitchcock Movies • Words Starting With Instruments |
| Final Answers | BOLERO, FOXTROT, MAMBO, QUICKSTEP • BROOD, FAMILY, OFFSPRING, POSTERITY • LIFEBOAT, ROPE, SPELLBOUND, SUSPICION • BELLHOP, DRUMMER, RATTLESNAKE, TRIANGLE |
NYT Connections #919 — Hints & Answers (Dec 16, 2025)
I actually smiled when I saw today’s grid. Some days feel cold and technical. This one felt playful. Still, the Purple group made me pause longer than I expected. It looks obvious at first. It isn’t.
If you’re stuck, let’s walk through it together.
THE NUDGE
Today’s puzzle moves, multiplies, thrills, and makes noise — sometimes all at once.
PROGRESSIVE CLUES
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Yellow Hint: These all pair nicely with ballroom floors.
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Green Hint: Words about lineage and what comes after.
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Blue Hint: Titles from a master of suspense.
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Purple Hint: Each word starts with something you could hear in a band.
WHAT IS NYT CONNECTIONS?
Connections gives you 16 words.
You sort them into four groups of four.
Each group shares one idea.
Yellow is friendly.
Purple is mischievous.
You get four mistakes total.
Choose carefully.
That’s the whole game.
FINAL ANSWERS — DEC 16, 2025 (#919)
🟨 DANCES
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BOLERO
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FOXTROT
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MAMBO
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QUICKSTEP
🟩 DESCENDANTS
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BROOD
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FAMILY
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OFFSPRING
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POSTERITY
🟦 HITCHCOCK MOVIES
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LIFEBOAT
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ROPE
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SPELLBOUND
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SUSPICION
🟪 STARTING WITH PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
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BELLHOP
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DRUMMER
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RATTLESNAKE
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TRIANGLE
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Yellow jumped out fast for me. “Foxtrot” and “Mambo” were instant tells.
Green followed right behind. Those words feel related even before you name the category.
Blue slowed me down a bit. I knew they were movies, but I had to double-check that they were all Hitchcock. Once “Rope” clicked, the rest lined up.
Purple was my last group. “Rattlesnake” kept pulling my brain toward animals. I had to stop and look at the start of each word instead. The moment I noticed the instruments, it finally clicked.
That one was sneaky. In a fun way.
STRATEGY TIP OF THE DAY
When words feel unrelated, zoom in on just the beginning.
Connections loves hiding groups at the front of words — letters, sounds, or objects.
If meaning doesn’t work, try structure.
FAQ (People Also Ask)
Q1: What was the hardest group today?
Purple. The instrument connection is easy to miss if you focus on full word meanings.
Q2: Which group should I solve first?
Yellow. Dance styles are clean and help with elimination.
Q3: Why is “BELLHOP” in the Purple group?
Because it starts with “bell,” which is a percussion instrument.
