Blue group — HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES
Why is “DUCKLING” in the Blue group?
The protagonist of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale about a duckling who is rejected by his family and peers
Connections Hints for December 14, 2025 #916
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Yellow Category — December 14, 2025
Green Category — December 14, 2025
Blue Category — December 14, 2025
Purple Category — December 14, 2025
Tricky Words in Today's Connections
▼Definitions for the most unusual words in today's puzzle
Tricky Words in Today's Connections
▼Green group — FICTIONAL PIGS
Why is “PIGLET” in the Green group?
A small pig and one of the main characters in A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories
Word definitions
Tricky words in today's Connections (December 14, 2025)
Several words in today's puzzle have multiple meanings or obscure definitions that can throw you off. Here's what each one means in the context of this Connections grid.
- DUCKLING
- Definition: The protagonist of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale
- Why it's tricky: Could be mistaken for a general term for a young duck
- COLONEL
- Definition: A military rank, also a word with a silent 'L'
- Why it's tricky: The word has multiple meanings and the silent 'L' might be overlooked
- PRAISE
- Definition: To express admiration or approval
- Why it's tricky: Could be related to the 'HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES' category due to the positive connotation
- WOULD
- Definition: A verb used to express conditional or future actions, also a word with a silent 'L'
- Why it's tricky: The silent 'L' might be hard to notice, and the word has multiple uses
Connections #916 explained
Why these words connect (December 14, 2025)
Understanding the logic behind each group helps you spot similar patterns in future puzzles. Here's the reasoning for every category in today's Connections.
Yellow group: LAY IT ON THICK
These words all relate to giving excessive or insincere praise, often to manipulate or impress someone
Green group: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES
These words are all characters from famous fairy tales written by Hans Christian Andersen, including 'The Ugly Duckling' and 'The Emperor's New Clothes'
Blue group: SILENT "L"
These words all have a silent 'L' in their pronunciation, which can make them tricky to recognize or spell
Purple group: FICTIONAL PIGS
These words are all names of famous pigs from literature and film, including 'Babe' and 'Porky Pig'
Red herrings and trap words explained
These words were designed to mislead you. Understanding why they don't belong where you first think sharpens your game for tomorrow.
“PRINCESS”
Seems like it belongs to: FICTIONAL PIGS
Actually belongs to: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES
Although princesses can be found in stories with pigs, this word belongs to the Hans Christian Andersen figures category, as it refers to a character from his fairy tales
“BABE”
Seems like it belongs to: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES
Actually belongs to: FICTIONAL PIGS
The word 'BABE' could be mistaken for a character from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, but it actually refers to a pig from the novel and film of the same name
Today's Tricky Traps — Red Herrings Explained
These words look like they belong in one group but actually fit somewhere else entirely.
Why “PRINCESS” didn't go with FICTIONAL PIGS
Seems like: FICTIONAL PIGS → Actually: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES
Although princesses can be found in stories with pigs, this word belongs to the Hans Christian Andersen figures category, as it refers to a character from his fairy tales
Why “BABE” didn't go with HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES
Seems like: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN FIGURES → Actually: FICTIONAL PIGS
The word 'BABE' could be mistaken for a character from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, but it actually refers to a pig from the novel and film of the same name