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The opening sets looked friendly, easing players in with familiar word links that felt almost too straightforward.
The third group required a shift in perspective, rewarding those who spotted the shared tone rather than literal meanings.
The final category delivered the real challenge, hiding its logic behind clever misdirection and demanding lateral thinking.
NYT Connections feels tailor-made for a relaxed Valentine’s Day session. The New York Times puzzle presents 16 seemingly unrelated words and asks you to sort them into four linked groups. Today, the themes echo the spirit of February 14, think romance, gifts, emotions, and sweet symbols, but the challenge remains deliciously tricky.
Some words look like they belong in more than one category, making you pause and rethink, with only four mistakes allowed. Like love itself, the right match isn’t always obvious. When everything finally clicks, the familiar ‘aha!’ moment feels as satisfying as the perfect Valentine’s surprise.
The Connections categories for the day were quite interesting, with the first two categories being relatively easy to solve, while the last two categories took the player on a completely unexpected and difficult route.
The yellow category, in particular, would have been easily solved by most players. For players who need further assistance, the NYT Connections categories for February 1, 2026, are available.
Yellow: UPTICK
Green: PROTUBERANCE
Blue: TOM HANKS
Purple: WORDS BEFORE ‘MINT’
Do you finally get where each word should go? No? Then, keep scrolling to see the answers for today's NYT Connections.
Also Read: NYT Connections Hints and Answers for February 13, 2026 (Puzzle #978)
The answers for Connections today are:
UPTICK: HIKE, JUMP, RISE, SPIKE
PROTUBERANCE: BUMP, HUMP, LUMP, MOUND
TOM HANKS ROLES: GUMP, PHILLIPS, SULLY, WOODY
WORDS BEFORE ‘MINT’: BREATH, JUNIOR, PEPPER, SPEAR
Connections is a daily puzzle where you have to split 16 words into four groups of four with one common thread. The trick is that words do not always fit into single categories, so always be on the lookout for overlapping connections.
Start by going after the groups that he is the most certain about, generally the yellow ones. Do not hesitate to use the shuffle button to see the words afresh.
Listen for wordplay, homophones, or another subtle connection.
If you do see a group of five words that seem to fit, take a step back and reassess, since one of them is a red herring. The purple one is usually the toughest to determine, so leave it for last.
Double Meanings: Try to identify words that fit into two categories - the actual one and a witty decoy.
Homophones: Typically, the puzzle contains words that sound the same. The song-alike words would almost always be hidden in the trickiest categories.
The ‘Five-Word’ Trap: If it seems like there are five words in one category, one of them doesn't belong. Working on the other category first will help you identify it.
Think Like A Creator: Usually, the hardest categories involve puns, abbreviations, or obscure references. Save these till the end.
Today’s puzzle struck a balanced difficulty, rated around 2.3/5, making it accessible yet cleverly deceptive. The groups revealed themselves once a clear starting link was found, and the grid became easier as options narrowed, a reminder that Connections rewards patience and elimination as much as vocabulary.
Pop-culture knowledge, word associations, and lateral thinking all played a role, especially with the Tom Hanks category and the ‘mint’ prefix set. Overall, it was a satisfying solve that showed how context, not complexity, often determines the challenge level in this game.
Also Read: NYT Connections Hints and Answers for February 12, 2026 (Puzzle #977)
