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

I was born in December, so today’s Mini Crossword may have been extra entertaining for me. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Greeting from Kermit the Frog
Answer: HIHO

5A clue: Apt name for a baby born around Christmas
Answer: CAROL

6A clue: Body part that might be sprained or rolled
Answer: ANKLE

7A clue: Apt name for a baby born around Christmas
Answer: NOEL

8A clue: Unlikely to leave a mess
Answer: TIDY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Vietnam’s capital city
Answer: HANOI

2D clue: Irritated
Answer: IRKED

3D clue: Apt name for a baby born around Christmas
Answer: HOLLY

4D clue: Cry at a bullfight
Answer: OLE

5D clue: «I ___ even!» (modern complaint)
Answer: CANT

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

Today’s Wordle puzzle is a little tricky, with a repeated letter that could trip you up. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Read more: New Study Reveals Wordle’s Top 10 Toughest Words of 2025

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with C.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with H.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a spiral shell.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is CONCH.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Dec. 21, No. 1646 was QUILT.

Recent Wordle answers

Dec. 17, No. 1642: GRASS

Dec. 18, No. 1643: RUGBY

Dec. 19, No. 1644: MYRRH

Dec. 20, No. 1645: WHITE

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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, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. There’s another one of those tricky purple categories where you need to see words buried within other words. If you need help sorting them into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

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

Yellow group hint: To flood in.

Green group hint: After you!

Blue group hint: Tarot is another type.

Purple group hint: Crayola products, but mess with the letters.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Influx.

Green group: Subsequent.

Blue group: Kinds of cards.

Purple group: Colors minus last letter.

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 influx. The four answers are rash, rush, surge and wave.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is subsequent. The four answers are coming, following, future and later.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is kinds of cards. The four answers are business, greeting, membership and playing.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is colors minus last letter. The four answers are brow (brown), cya (cyan), pin (pink) and whit (white).

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