It's Christmas Day, and the New York Times Connections puzzle is back! If you've tackled past holiday puzzles, you know the NYT can be surprisingly tricky, subtly incorporating holiday themes without making it overtly obvious.

Need a hand with today's puzzle (December 25th, 2024, #563)? This guide provides hints, category-specific help, and even complete spoilers, everything except the basic rules of Connections.

Words in the Puzzle: Queen, Star, Cupid, Strong, Rudolph, Sagittarius, Nanny, Comet, Vixen, Moon, Robin Hood, Shannon, Hawkeye, Fey, Jenny, Planet

What is a "Jenny"?

A jenny (or spinning jenny) is a yarn-spinning machine. It's also a female given name, and a term for certain female animals (like some birds). In nautical slang, a jenny (or genoa) is a type of jib sail.

Hints and Spoilers (Expand for more detail):

General Hints:

No reindeer names, no female first names as categories. Shannon and Strong belong together.

Yellow Category (Easy):

Hint: Think black holes and satellites.

Answer: Celestial Objects

Words: Comet, Moon, Planet, Star

Green Category (Medium):

Hint: Katniss, Artemis, and Legolas might also fit here.

Answer: Archers

Words: Cupid, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, Sagittarius

Blue Category (Hard):

Hint: Consider a doe, a hen, or a molly.

Answer: Female Animals

Words: Jenny, Nanny, Queen, Vixen

Purple Category (Tricky):

Hint: Think comedians.

Answer: SNL Cast Members

Words: Fey, Rudolph, Shannon, Strong

Complete Solutions:

• 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? Find the New York Times Games Connections puzzle on their website – it's accessible on most devices.