Today’s NYT Connections Tips, Answers for December 1, #539

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, and Strands puzzles.

I need the answers for the New York Times Connections Puzzle? To me, Wordle is more of a vocabulary test, but Connections is more of a brainteaser. You are given 16 words and asked to divide them into four groups that are connected in some way. Sometimes they’re obvious, but game editor Wyna Liu knows how to fool you by using words that fit into more than one group. Read on for today’s Connections hints and answers.

There is also news in the Connections world. The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one that has been around for Wordle for a while. Go there after you play to receive a numerical score and to let the program analyze your answers. And players registered with the Times Games section can now become a nerd by following their progressincluding the number of puzzles completed, winning percentage, number of times they achieved a perfect score and their winning streak.

Read more: Hints, tips and strategies to help you win every time at NYT Connections

How to play Connections

Playing is easy. Winning is difficult. Look at the sixteen words and mentally assign them to related groups of four. Click on the four words that you think match. The groups are color coded, but you won’t know what goes where until you see the answers. The yellow group is the easiest, then green, then blue and purple is the hardest. Look carefully at the words and think about related terms. Sometimes the connection has to do with only part of the word. Four words were once grouped together because they each started with the name of a rock band, including “Rushmore” and “Journeyman.”

Read more: New NYT Connections game for sports fans has players swinging for the fences

Tips for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connection Puzzle, ranked from the easiest, yellow group, to the difficult (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Safe place.

Green group hint: Hut, hut!

Blue group hint: Candy for the sweet.

Purple group hint: Land of the ____.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Shrine.

Green group: Football equipment.

Blue group: Candy names.

Purple group: Free ____

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here are the most popular letters used in English words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is sanctuary. The four answers are refuge, haven, refuge and shelter.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is football equipment. The four answers are cleats, helmet, jersey and pads.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is candy names. The four answers are Charms, Kinder, Wonka and York.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is free ____. The four answers are Bird, Fallin, Solo and Willy.