The NYT Connections puzzle for January 5th, 2025 (#574) presents a challenging word grouping exercise. This guide provides hints, solutions, and category explanations to help you conquer this word puzzle.
Puzzle Words: Stop, Gross, Make, Home, Yield, Volume, Slow, Snare, Quiet, Kettle, Net, Mute, Ear, Sleepy, Oil, Calm.

General Hints:
- The categories are unrelated to street signs or corn.
- "Mute" and "Stop" belong in the same group.

Yellow Category (Easy):
Hint: Think of descriptors for a tranquil, small town.
Answer: Hardly Bustling
Words: Calm, Quiet, Sleepy, Slow

Green Category (Medium):
Hint: Relates to the amount of money earned.
Answer: Earn
Words: Gross, Make, Net, Yield

Blue Category (Hard):
Hint: Consider functions found on a remote control.
Answer: Remote Control Functions
Words: Home, Mute, Stop, Volume

Purple Category (Tricky):
Hint: Each word can be combined with a four-letter word to form a common compound word.
Answer: Words Before "Drum"
Words: Ear, Kettle, Oil, Snare

Complete Solutions:
- Yellow - Hardly Bustling: Calm, Quiet, Sleepy, Slow
- Green - Earn: Gross, Make, Net, Yield
- Blue - Remote Control Functions: Home, Mute, Stop, Volume
- Purple - Words Before Drum: Ear, Kettle, Oil, Snare

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