As with every NYT game, some Connections are tricker than others — which is why we post Connections hints and answers every day. But which ones were the hardest Connections in 2025? To find out, I scoured the New York Times Connection Companion archives,

In Connections, each category has a different difficulty level. Yellow is the simplest, and purple is the most difficult. Click or tap each level to reveal one of the words in that category. The New York Times Games team is on Instagram. Follow us now for solving tips, behind-the-scenes content from our editors and more.

For Wordle, one word in particular proved to be kryptonite for fans: Bongo. That word was 2025’s biggest streak buster, making it the hardest Wordle of the year when it snapped 36,337 streaks back on May 14. What made "BONGO" such a challenge?

Managed by Mexico’s Navy, the Interoceanic Train links Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts. Its main line only came into service in 2023, under a new program by then-Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador to promote economic development in southern Mexico and create an alternative to the Panama Canal for cargo transport.

Scroll down for hints and conversation about the puzzle for Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. By New York Times Games Good morning, dear connectors. Welcome to today’s Connections forum, where you can give and receive puzzle — and emotional — support.