The Wednesday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #934, delivering a New Year's Eve special that blends holiday traditions with clever wordplay. This final puzzle of 2025 rewards those who can spot both obvious celebrations and subtle linguistic connections, with a particular advantage for anyone who's ever lost something in their own home or contemplated the mysteries of the universe.
What Makes Connections Tick
For newcomers, NYT Connections presents 16 words that must be sorted into four thematic groups of four. The twist?
You're limited to four mistakes, and the color-coded difficulty system (yellow being easiest, purple being trickiest) means surface-level connections often mislead.
Since its June 2023 launch, Connections has carved out its niche in the Times' puzzle ecosystem, standing alongside Wordle and the crossword as a daily ritual for millions of players worldwide. The game's genius lies in its red herrings, words that could fit multiple categories but belong in only one.
Today's Grid at a Glance
Here are the 16 words staring back at you in puzzle #934:
SOUND BARRIER | CHAMPAGNE FLUTE | ROCKY | SEA BASS
BERMUDA TRIANGLE | NOISEMAKER | LIBERTY BELL | DRYER
FIREWORKS | COUCH CUSHIONS | CHANNEL SURF | CHEESESTEAK
BLACK HOLE | BAY LEAF | BROTHERLY LOVE | BALL DROP
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories, spanning from New Year's celebrations to Philadelphia landmarks and mysterious disappearances.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about how you'll be celebrating tonight at midnight.
Green Category Clue: These are places where things vanish without explanation, from cosmic phenomena to household mysteries.
Blue Category Hint: Everything in this group has strong ties to a specific American city known for its history and cuisine.
Purple Category Teaser: Look beyond the literal meanings - each word in this category starts with a body of water, but you'll need to think phonetically.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
Yellow (HAPPY NEW YEAR!): BALL DROP, CHAMPAGNE FLUTE, FIREWORKS, NOISEMAKER
The easiest category delivers exactly what you'd expect on December 31st - classic New Year's Eve traditions. BALL DROP references the iconic Times Square tradition, CHAMPAGNE FLUTE is the celebratory vessel, FIREWORKS light up the sky at midnight, and NOISEMAKER provides the auditory celebration.
This category falls quickly for anyone who's ever watched a New Year's broadcast or attended a midnight party.
Green (PLACES WHERE THINGS DISAPPEAR): BERMUDA TRIANGLE, BLACK HOLE, COUCH CUSHIONS, DRYER
Here's where the puzzle gets clever - these are all notorious locations where items vanish. BERMUDA TRIANGLE is the legendary area where ships and planes disappear, BLACK HOLE is the cosmic phenomenon that swallows everything including light, COUCH CUSHIONS are where remotes and small items famously get lost, and DRYER is where socks mysteriously vanish.
The category works because it blends cosmic mysteries with everyday household frustrations.
Blue (ASSOCIATED WITH PHILADELPHIA): BROTHERLY LOVE, CHEESESTEAK, LIBERTY BELL, ROCKY
Philadelphia gets its moment in the spotlight with this civic-minded category. BROTHERLY LOVE references the city's name origin (Philadelphia means "brotherly love" in Greek), CHEESESTEAK is the iconic local sandwich, LIBERTY BELL is the historic symbol housed in the city, and ROCKY represents both the fictional boxer and the famous statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
This category separates those with Philadelphia knowledge from casual observers.
Purple (STARTING WITH BODIES OF WATER): BAY LEAF, CHANNEL SURF, SEA BASS, SOUND BARRIER
The trickiest category requires lateral thinking - each word starts with a body of water when pronounced. BAY LEAF starts with "bay," CHANNEL SURF starts with "channel," SEA BASS starts with "sea," and SOUND BARRIER starts with "sound" (as in Puget Sound or Long Island Sound).
This is classic Connections wordplay that punishes those who think too literally and rewards those who can hear the homophones.
The Verdict
Puzzle #934 registers as moderate difficulty with a sting in the tail. Yellow falls quickly for anyone who recognizes New Year's traditions, while green requires thinking about both cosmic and domestic disappearances.
Blue separates the Philadelphia enthusiasts from the casual observers. Purple, predictably, is the streak-ender - that phonetic body-of-water trick won't reveal itself without serious lateral thinking.
The real trap lies in words like "SOUND BARRIER" and "CHANNEL SURF," which could easily mislead solvers into aviation or television categories. "BAY LEAF" might get grouped with cooking terms, while "SEA BASS" could be mistaken for seafood.
The puzzle's cleverness comes from how it blends obvious holiday themes with sophisticated wordplay and civic knowledge.
Reset and Repeat
Tomorrow's puzzle drops at midnight in your timezone. Until then, reflect on today's performance: did you spot the Philadelphia connections immediately, or did the disappearing items category trip you up?
The beauty lies not in perfection but in training your brain to spot these hidden patterns, from holiday traditions to linguistic tricks.
For now, puzzle #934 is solved. See you at midnight for round #935.
