NYT Connections today — my hints and answers for Friday, December 13 (game #551)

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.

Today’s NYT Connections words are…

  • TRASH
  • PHISH
  • CRUSH
  • TROLL
  • BORE
  • SPAM
  • LINKS
  • SQUIRT
  • SPRITE
  • TOWED
  • GIANT
  • DRAFTS
  • PIXIE
  • SENT
  • STARRY
  • DRAGON

What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: Mythical beings
  • GREEN: Message filing
  • BLUE: Fruity fizz
  • PURPLE: Beastly sounds

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…

What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: FANTASY CREATURES
  • GREEN: EMAIL FOLDERS 
  • BLUE: CITRUS SODAS
  • PURPLE: ANIMAL HOMOPHONES

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

The answers to today’s Connections, game #551, are…

  • YELLOW: FANTASY CREATURES DRAGON, GIANT, PIXIE, TROLL
  • GREEN: EMAIL FOLDERS DRAFTS, SENT, SPAM, TRASH
  • BLUE: CITRUS SODAS CRUSH, SPRITE, SQUIRT, STARRY
  • PURPLE: ANIMAL HOMOPHONES BORE, LINKS, PHISH, TOWED

  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: 2 mistakes

Being in the UK rather than the US can put you at a serious disadvantage when it comes to Connections.

Yellow and green were fairly straightforward today – although I did initially fall into the trap of wanting to put SPAM, TROLL and PHISH together in the same group. Blue and Purple baffled me, having no concept whatsoever of STARRY or SQUIRT sodas. Starry is a relative newcomer, but I was surprised to learn that Squirt has been around since 1938, a plucky grapefruit-flavored underdog that has survived the competition and carbonated innovation of big soda.

Over here we are still mourning the passing of Lilt, which has been rebranded as the far less exotic Fanta Pineapple & Grapefruit. Although having said that, the history of Fanta (Nazi Germany’s wartime alternative to Coca-Cola) is a worthy Wikipedia rabbit hole.


  • YELLOW: THINGS THAT SOUND LIKE “T” TEA, TEE (GOLF), TEE (SHIRT), TI (MUSICAL NOTE)
  • GREEN: OBJECTS WITH TEETH COMB, GEAR, SAW, ZIPPER
  • BLUE: MILD OATHS FUDGE, GEEZ, NUTS, RATS
  • PURPLE: PARTS OF A RIVER BANK, BED, DELTA, MOUTH

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