The New York Times Games presents Connections, a daily word puzzle, even on Christmas Eve! Need a hand solving this relaxing brain teaser? This guide provides hints, clues, and even spoilers to help you conquer Connections puzzle #562 (December 24, 2024).
Today's Connections puzzle words: Lions, Tigers, Bears, Oh My, Dear, Jays, Bills, Use, Bye, Bees, Please, Close, Tight, Gimme, Ease, and Intimate.

Hints & Clues (Without Full Spoilers):
These hints offer varying levels of assistance, from general tips to more specific category clues.
General Hints:

- Forget sports teams.
- Animal categories are not the focus.
- "Bye" and "Gimme" belong together.
Yellow Category (Easy): Think classic movie quotes.
Green Category (Medium): Consider synonyms for close friendships.
Blue Category (Hard): Focus on how the words sound, not their meanings. Think letters.
Purple Category (Tricky): These words, when tripled, become famous song titles.
Spoiler Alerts! (Solutions Below):
Proceed with caution! The following sections reveal the complete solutions.
Yellow Category Solution:

Category: "Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!" Words: Bears, Lions, Oh my, Tigers
Green Category Solution:

Category: "Beloved, as a Friend" Words: Close, Dear, Intimate, Tight
Blue Category Solution:

Category: "Words that Sound Like Plural Letters" Words: Bees, Ease, Jays, Use
Purple Category Solution:

Category: **"When Tripled, Hit Song