Get NYT Connections Hints for December 11, 2024. Find hints and solutions for puzzle #549, including word connections and hidden categories.
As a fellow word puzzle enthusiast, I've designed these hints to be progressive to preserve your enjoyment of the game. Please reveal them in order, starting from the top. While official hints and answers are available at the bottom, I strongly encourage you to think through each connection yourself before checking them.
HAIRSPRAY: While humans use hairspray to keep their hair in place, imagine if hair used humanspray to keep its humans in place. Now that's what I call a sticky situation!
Mythical locations symbolizing ultimate bliss
Utopian realms in literature and mythology
Utopia
XANADU: Everyone searches for their perfect Xanadu, but what if Xanadu is actually searching for its perfect human and keeps rejecting us?
Objects containing liquid or movable parts
Items that respond to physical movement
Things you shake
PARADISE: Everyone wants to find paradise, but has anyone asked if paradise wants to be found? Maybe it's hiding from us for a reason.
Branded activities or platforms with global reach
Names that have become part of contemporary lifestyle
Proper noun portmanteaux
SEVENTH HEAVEN: Everybody talks about seventh heaven, but what happened to the first six? Probably got tired of humans and retired.
Words that have significance beyond their literal meaning
Each represents something iconic in its respective domain
Ending in synonyms for “friend”
⚠️ Spoiler Warning!
We strongly recommend trying to solve the puzzle yourself first! Looking at the answers directly will take away the joy and satisfaction of discovering the connections on your own. If you've already given it your best shot and still want to see the solution, you can continue scrolling down - the answers are below the image.

Hint: Utopia
Hint: Things you shake
Hint: Proper noun portmanteaux
Hint: Ending in synonyms for “friend”