Looking for a different day?
A new NEW Connections puzzle pops up at midnight every day for your time zone – meaning some people are always playing “today’s game” while others are playing “yesterday’s”. If you’re looking for Friday’s puzzle instead then click here: NEW Connections Hints and Answers for Friday February 13th (Game #978).
Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers into different categories. It can be difficult, so read on if you need Connections tips.
SPOILER ALERT: Today’s NYT Connections information is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NEW Connections today (game #979) – word of the day
Today’s NEW Connections word is…
- SPIKE
- SPEAR
- LUMP
- SKIP
- JUNIOR
- HIKE
- GUMP
- BUMP
- SULLY
- BREATHE
- WOODY
- HIGH
- PEPPER
- PHILLIPS
- PULL
- STICK
NEW Connections today (game #979) – tip #1 – group tip
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Upward trajectory
- GREEN: Bits sticking out
- BLUE: A great actor in common
- PURPLE: The sweet smell of menthol
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NEW Connections today (game #979) – tip #2 – group answer
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: UPTICK
- GREEN: PROTUBERANCE
- BLUE: TOM HANKS ROLES
- PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE “MINT”
Okay, the answers are below, so DON’T SCROLL IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NEW Connections today (game #979) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections, game #979, are…
- YELLOW: UPTICK WALK, JUMP, CLIMB, SPIKE
- GREEN: PROTUBERANCE BUMP, PUMP, BUMP, HIGH
- BLUE: TOM HANKS ROLES GUMP, PHILLIPS, SULLY, WOODY
- PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE “MINT” SPIRIT, JUNIOR, PEPPER, SPEAR
- My rating: Easy
- My score: 1 error
After getting the green PROTUBERANCE group (can we just pause to reflect on what a wonderful word protrusion is, please) I made the laziest of mistakes.
Thought they all sounded like secondary sitcom characters (based on the fact that one of them is) I guessed that SPIKE, WOODY, SULLY and JUNIOR were connected. The unusual nature of GUMP set me on the right path.
Meanwhile, WORDS BEFORE “MINT” seems like a very obtainable purple group and a missed opportunity to add to my Purple First inventory – kudos if you saw it before the other groups.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections Answers (Friday, February 13, Game #978)
- YELLOW: COMPLETE CLEAN, LEARN, STRONG, PRONOUNCED
- GREEN: Pennant BANNERS, COLORS, FLAGS, STANDARD
- BLUE: CIGARETTE BRANDS CAMEL, KENT, PARLIAMENT, SALEM
- PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF WAYS TO GET SMALLER LESSON, RESEED, SYNC, WAYNE
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games created by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four elements that share something in common, and each group has a different degree of difficulty: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough, and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you technically don’t need to solve the last one, as you’ll be able to answer it by a process of elimination. Also, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a bit more involved than something like Wordle, though, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to let you beat yourself up with tricks. For example, watch out for homophones and other puns that can hide the answers.
It can be played for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
