December 26, 2024 Connections Clues & Solutions (Puzzle #564)

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If you’re having a tough time solving today’s Connections puzzle, you probably came here for some tips and strategies to help you out. This puzzle can be tricky, especially with all the adjectives and adverbs that can clutter the layout. If you need assistance, we’ve gathered a variety of helpful hints below to guide you through this challenge.

With the holiday season behind us, you might be looking to unwind with a few puzzles while you relax and await the New Year. One fun way to do this is by trying the New York Times’ Tiles puzzle. It’s a great option if you’re after some comfort, as there aren’t many ways to fail, and you can feel a satisfying sense of achievement as you clear away each pair of tiles.

Today’s Connections Category Hints

December 26 #563

This puzzle features a mix of challenges but also plenty of clues to help you figure things out. You’ll encounter two particularly difficult categories, alongside two that should be relatively easy to tackle. The purple category is especially intriguing today; a small adjustment to the words could make them far clearer. Here are some clues to get you started:

One category focuses on things that are nearly the same.
Another one involves different varieties of the same plant.
A third category is about words that describe quantities.
The last category deals with four various uses of abbreviations but in a specific format.

If these hints still leave you puzzled, often just knowing the category names can help you make more progress. All four categories are listed below, along with complete answers.

Today’s Connections Answers

December 26 #563

Yellow Answers

- APPROXIMATELY
  - ABOUT
  - AROUND
  - LIKE
  - ROUGHLY

This category can be harder than it appears, especially since the blue category has a similar phrasing. You’ll need to make some tough judgments here, but with luck, I made the right calls most of the time, though I stumbled at least once.

Green Answers

- TREES
  - ELDER
  - PALM
  - PINE
  - SPRUCE

I quickly recognized this category due to my love for trees. Quick identification made me feel confident, unlike the more finicky grammar rules in the other categories.

Blue Answers

- SIZABLE, AS AN AMOUNT
  - HANDSOME
  - HEALTHY
  - RESPECTABLE
  - TIDY

This category strictly revolves around describing amounts. It’s tricky enough to make you think but familiar enough to keep you engaged without feeling completely lost.

Purple Answers

- U.S. STATE ABBREVIATIONS, PER AP STYLE GUIDE
  - ALA
  - ARK
  - MISS
  - ORE

This category may challenge those unfamiliar with the AP style guide. Most people know the two-letter versions but might trip up on the longer abbreviations.

Other Games Like Connections

If you still want to take a break, there are many more puzzles waiting for you in the list below.

Game Name	How To Play	Is It Free To Play?
Wordle	Solve a random five-letter word using color clues.	Yes
Worldle	Guess a country based on its silhouette and get a few geographic hints.	Yes
The Password Game	Create a password in this constantly changing game. Check out our guide for tips.	Yes
Absurdle	Try solving a Wordle game without much help; the game reveals very little information.	Yes