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NYT Connections #972 focuses on word control, habits, password rules, and phrase-based clues.
The Blue category focuses on modern tech habits, specifically what makes a password ‘strong.’
The Purple group remains the ultimate brain-teaser, requiring players to find words that pair perfectly with the number ‘two.’
NYT Connections puzzle #972 for Sunday, February 8, asks players to group 16 words into four sets based on shared meaning. As usual, difficulty rises from Yellow to Purple. Today’s puzzle leans heavily on language use, daily habits, and common expressions, with a tricky final group that can easily mislead players.
Here are the four categories with light clues to guide you:
Yellow: Suppress
Green: Same Old Stuff
Blue: Features Of A Strong Password
Purple: Words After ‘Two’
Use these hints to narrow down your choices:
Yellow (Easiest): Think of actions taken to keep someone quiet or to hold back an impulse.
Green (Easy): These words describe things that are repetitive, monotonous, or part of a fixed practice.
Blue (Medium): Look for the specific requirements you see when creating a new account online.
Purple (Hardest): Every word in this group follows a specific number to form a common compound word or phrase.
If you’re ready to see the solution, here are the correct groupings for today:
Yellow – Suppress: Gag, Inhibit, Muzzle, Silence
Green – Same Old Stuff: Drill, Grind, Habit, Routine
Blue – Features Of A Strong Password: Length, Number, Symbol, Uppercase
Purple – Words After "Two": Bit, Cents, Faced, Timer
Today’s grid offered some clever red herrings. ‘Habit’ and ‘Routine’ are natural partners, but ‘Drill’ and ‘Grind’ could have easily been misinterpreted in a construction or coffee-related context if not grouped correctly under the ‘Same Old Stuff’ umbrella.
The Blue category was a standout, while ‘Uppercase’ and ‘Symbol’ are dead giveaways for techies, ‘Length’ and ‘Number’ are generic enough to fit into multiple potential categories, making the password theme a fun ‘aha!’ moment. Finally, the Purple group relied on classic idioms like ‘two-faced’ and ‘two-timer,’ which can be difficult to spot when the words are scattered across different rows.
Also Read: NYT Connections Hints and Answers for February 7, 2026
NYT Connections #972 offers a solid mix of logic, everyday language, and smart wordplay. It combined straightforward synonyms in the Yellow group with more abstract linguistic connections in the Purple group. Successfully navigating the ‘Password’ category was the key to unlocking the rest of the board today. Come back tomorrow for more Connections hints, tips, and answers!
Also Read: NYT Wordle Answer Today for February 8, 2026: Hints and Expert Walkthrough Revealed
