Today’s Connections puzzle mixes straightforward synonym-hunting with a classic curveball: a group that only makes sense once you say the words out loud. If you’re close but not clicking into place, the hints below will steer you toward the right sorting logic without giving everything away too early.
Prefer to play first and come back? You can open the official puzzle on The New York Times Connections.
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Hint set 1 (gentle category nudges)
🟨 Think “completely” — words you’d use to intensify a statement.
🟩 Terms you might see at a stadium or ceremony when something is raised or waved.
🟦 Four names you’d recognize from the tobacco aisle (brand recognition helps here).
🟪 Say these aloud: each one sounds like a verb meaning “become smaller” or “fade.”
Hint set 2 (one anchor word per group)
🟨 Anchor: UTTER
🟩 Anchor: BANNER
🟦 Anchor: CAMEL
🟪 Anchor: WAYNE
A useful strategy today: lock the “intensifier” set first, then the “flag” set. The remaining words will make the brand group clearer, and the final group becomes obvious once you switch to phonetics.
Practice board
Tap 4 words that belong together, then press Submit Group. Solve all four groups to finish.
Today’s Connections answers (February 13)
Tap to reveal the full solution
🟨 Downright: PURE, SHEER, STARK, UTTER
🟩 Pennant: BANNER, COLORS, FLAG, STANDARD
🟦 Cigarette brands: CAMEL, KENT, PARLIAMENT, SALEM
🟪 Homophones of ways to get smaller: LESSON, RESEED, SYNC, WAYNE
