Looking for a clue to today's Connections answer, the difficulty level for puzzle #560 from December 22 was up from yesterday's puzzle, with a Connections Companion difficulty level of 3.5 out of 5.

We update our Connections clues and hints daily. And if the hints aren't enough, see the four answers below, along with category names and related words.

In addition, for those of you reading this in another time zone, I have included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle, #559.

There are spoilers for Connection 560. Only those who want to know the answer to today's Connections should read on.

Or see our NYT Connections How to Play Guide for tips on how to solve the puzzle without our help.

While today's wordle solution guide recommends the best wordle starting words as a strategy, the Connections solution depends on identifying the categories that are connected from the 16 words. The difficulty of each category is represented by a color, with yellow being the easiest grouping and purple the most difficult. Hints are helpful as the answer is displayed after four wrong guesses.

Today's connection words are: Stats, Crown, Abbott, Elementary, Nun, Key, Dome, Abba, Laurel, Monk, Coconut, Fry, Skull, Bones, Kayak, Kojak

If you need a hint to help you solve the groupings, here are each of the topics in order of difficulty:

These hints should at least help you find the answer to today's connection. If not, please continue reading for larger hints. Also, if you only want to know the answer, scroll down further.

There are even bigger clues. Today's puzzle will test your funny bone. Remember to take out your magnifying glass, turn your head fully and look both ways.

Now, what is the answer to today's game #560 Connection?

Drum roll please.

I saw so many names of TV shows first that I thought it best to start there.

Then purple, then Abbott, Fry, Key, Laurel.

Yellow was surprisingly difficult to solve today; seeing Nun and Dome together made me think about religious structures, but once I saw other slang like Coconut, Crown, and Skull, it all made sense.

Only the greens of Ava, Kayak, Nun, and Stutz remained.

Are you reading this late in the day? According to the Connections Companion, this is the Connections answer to game #559, which had a difficulty level of 3 out of 5.

I started out with what I thought was the bed category when I saw Murphy. I know this because my relatives are very into putting Murphy beds all over the place. But for some reason I was distracted by the casseroles and crocks. I was thinking of cookware, but I didn't really think pots and pans had anything to do with it, so I was looking for something with more of a name. Anyway, I put the pots and pans together with the other two, and they ended up in the green category.

Next, I removed the yellow quartet. Band, Circle, Ring, and Hoop.

Finally, back to bed with the canopy and sled. I think the sleigh is a tricky one, but maybe I'm wrong.

And ended with something named Oscar, Barony, Grouch, O, Statuette.