Are you struggling to solve the NYT Connections hints December 27 puzzle? You aren’t alone. Today’s board (Puzzle #930) is particularly tricky, featuring a deceptive “red herring” that likely has you grouping words that don’t actually belong together. If you are worried about losing your streak, we have the spoiler-free clues and full answers you need.
Whether you are playing via the NYT Games archive or catching up on missed puzzles, this guide will help you solve the December 27 board without frustration. Below, we break down the groups by color, offer subtle hints, and finally reveal the complete solution.
Table of Contents
NYT Connections Hints December 27 (Spoiler-Free)
Before we spoil the answers, let’s start with a few nudges. The goal is to spot the patterns without giving the game away immediately. If you are staring at the board and seeing too many words that could fit into a “Work” or “Card” category, you need to look closer.
Here are four hints for the December 27 Connections puzzle:
- Yellow Group Hint: Think about traveling by plane. What choices do you have when buying a ticket?
- Green Group Hint: These words are verbs used when you want to acknowledge
- where information came from.
- Blue Group Hint: Words that describe a long-term job, profession, or life’s work.
- Purple Group Hint: Look at the tail end of these words. They hide something you might drink at a party.
The “Red Herring” Alert
Watch out for the word CARD. You might see words like Business, Credit, Calling, and Report. It is very tempting to group these as “Types of Cards,” but that is a trap! These words actually belong to three separate groups.
Today’s Connections Groups (December 27)
Still stuck? Let’s reveal the themes for each color. This will tell you what the groups are, but not which words belong to them. This is often enough to help you unscramble the board on your own.
- Yellow Group: Airline Classes
- Green Group: Attribute (Give Credit/Source)
- Blue Group: Vocation
- Purple Group: Ending With Alcoholic Beverages
The Purple group is the hardest today because it requires identifying a “hidden word” inside the main word, rather than looking at the meaning of the word itself.
NYT Connections Answers December 27 (Full Solution)
If you are down to your last life or just want to see the final result, here is the complete answer key for NYT Connections December 27.
Yellow: Airline Classes
These words represent the different tiers of seating you can purchase on a flight.
- BUSINESS
- ECONOMY
- FIRST
- PREMIUM
Green: Attribute
These words are synonyms used when citing a source or giving recognition.
- CITE
- CREDIT
- NAME
- REFERENCE
Blue: Vocation
These words all refer to a person’s trade, job, or professional path.
- CALLING
- CRAFT
- LINE
- TRADE
Purple: Ending With Alcoholic Beverages
This was the trickiest category! Each word ends with the name of a type of alcohol.
- DECIDER (Ends in CIDER)
- NAMESAKE (Ends in SAKE)
- REPORT (Ends in PORT)
- VILLAGER (Ends in LAGER)
Puzzle Analysis: Why Was December 27 Tricky?
The NYT Connections December 27 puzzle (No. 930) was a classic example of how the editor, Wyna Liu, uses “crossovers” to confuse players.
The biggest hurdle today was the overlap between the Blue (Vocation) and Green (Attribute) groups. Words like Trade, Craft, and Line feel very similar, and when you mix in Business from the Yellow group, it’s easy to get lost in a general “Work/Business” theme that doesn’t exist.
Additionally, the Purple group relied on a suffix pattern. If you were only looking at definitions, words like Villager and Decider seem completely unrelated to Report. You had to physically look at the spelling to see the hidden drinks (Lager, Cider, Port, Sake).
Key Takeaway: When you see words that seem random, stop looking for definitions. Start looking for hidden words, rhyming patterns, or scrambled letters.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What was the hardest group in the December 27 Connections?
The Purple group (“Ending with Alcoholic Beverages”) was the most difficult. It required players to ignore the meaning of the words and focus on the spelling to find hidden alcohol types like Port and Sake.
Is there a “Card” category in the December 27 puzzle?
No. Many players tried to group Business, Credit, Calling, and Report as “Types of Cards,” but this was a red herring. These words belong to different groups.
How do I play past Connections puzzles?
You can play past puzzles like the one from December 27 by visiting the official [Link: URL 2] or using third-party archive sites that track puzzle history.
When does the NYT Connections reset?
The puzzle resets daily at midnight your local time. If you want to solve it before the new one drops, make sure to finish before 12:00 AM.
Did you solve the December 27 puzzle?
If you found this guide helpful, share it with your fellow puzzle fans! Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for more NYT Connections hints and solutions to keep your winning streak alive.
