Searching for the Connections solution for January 5, 2025? You’re in the right place! This post will provide various hints, effective strategies, and ultimately reveal the answers for each of the four groups. Additionally, I’ll clarify any complex terms and show how they connect. Caution: spoilers are included below for January 5, NYT Connections #574! Continue reading for hints and answers related to today’s puzzle.

To effortlessly return for daily hints on Connections, consider bookmarking this page. Previous hints are also available here, allowing you to revisit any puzzles you may have missed.

Initially, subtle hints about today’s Connections answers will be provided. As you scroll down, the themes and corresponding solutions will be unveiled. Advance slowly to gather only the hints you require!

Credit: Connections/NYT

Hints for Today’s Connections Themes

Here are hints related to today’s groupings, without spoilers:

• Yellow category – Resembles a rural area contrasted with a bustling city.

• Green category – Pertains to earnings and salary.

• Blue category – Represents buttons found on a remote control.

• Purple category – Related to a fill-in-the-blank featuring a term for an object struck by an instrument.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Connections Puzzle!

In this section, some answers will be disclosed. If you want to avoid full spoilers, scroll carefully. (A complete solution is provided below.)

Insight on the Challenging Parts

The words QUIET and MUTE do not pair together, although MUTE is compatible with VOLUME.

Keep in mind that GROSS does not imply something disgusting.

Today’s puzzle excludes references to pop culture.

Categories in Today’s Connections

• Yellow: HARDLY BUSTLING

• Green: EARN

• Blue: REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

• Purple: WORDS BEFORE “DRUM”

Caution: Answers Are Provided Below

Ready to discover the answers for today’s puzzle? They are detailed below.

Yellow Category Words

The yellow group is regarded as the easiest. The theme is HARDLY BUSTLING, featuring the words: CALM, QUIET, SLEEPY, SLOW.

Green Category Words

The green grouping is considered the second easiest. The theme is EARN, including the words: GROSS, MAKE, NET, YIELD.

Blue Category Words

The blue category is the next most difficult. Its theme is REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS, comprising the words: HOME, MUTE, STOP, VOLUME.

Purple Category Words

The purple group is deemed the hardest. The theme for this category is WORDS BEFORE “DRUM,” including: EAR, KETTLE, OIL, SNARE.

Approach to Solving Today’s Puzzle

While initially tempted to connect STOP and GROSS as mutually disgusted expressions, the term GROSS seems likely linked to economic phrases like “gross domestic product.” This fits with YIELD, NET, and possibly with MAKE as well.

On the other hand, SNARE can relate to a type of drum, connecting it with EAR, OIL, and KETTLE, all of which also signify drum types.

A combination of QUIET, CALM, and SLEEPY works together, alongside MUTE and SLOW.

Additionally, grouping VOLUME, HOME, STOP, and MUTE suggests they align as remote control buttons.

Trying MAKE, GROSS, NET, and YIELD creates another potential set.

This concludes with QUIET, SLEEPY, SLOW, and CALM for the final category.

Connections
Puzzle #574

Playing Connections: A Brief Guide

A more comprehensive guide for playing Connections is available; however, here’s a recap of the rules:

First, access the Connections game via the New York Times website or within their Games app (formerly known as the Crossword app). You will be presented with a game board containing 16 tiles, each displaying a word or phrase. Your objective is to identify a set of four tiles that share a common thread. Often, these will all belong to the same category (for example: RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW are types of precipitation), but sometimes wordplay is involved (for instance, BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH are variations of lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).

Select four words and hit the Submit button. Correct guesses will reveal the category and color of the group (Yellow for easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple). Incorrect guesses will allow for another attempt.

The game concludes when all four groups have been successfully identified. However, if four incorrect guesses occur before completing the puzzle, the game will end with the answers being revealed.

Winning Strategies for Connections

The key to succeeding in Connections lies in recognizing that the groupings can be quite deceptive. Expect overlaps among categories. For example, one puzzle featured six breakfast items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. Yet, BACON aligned with a group of painters, like CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG belonged to a group of items typically associated with dozens (e.g., JUROR, ROSE, MONTH). Always ensure that a group of four contains only those four elements before hitting “submit.”

When in doubt, consider focusing on the words that seem unrelated to the rest. For instance, if WHISTLER brings to mind the painting called “Whistler’s Mother,” that connection might lead you to another insight. Upon solving that specific puzzle, researching whether a painter named Close existed proved beneficial, as Close did not fit the available themes, either.

Ultimately, reading helpful hints can also serve as a great strategy, which is why these pointers are shared daily. Make sure to check in tomorrow for the next puzzle!