Ever stared at the Connections board, certain you've found the perfect group of four, only to hit submit and be met with that familiar, frustrating buzz? You're not alone. The New York Times Connections puzzle is a masterclass in misdirection, designed to challenge even the sharpest minds. But what if you could cut through the noise and spot the true links?
If you're here for today's NYT Connections hints and the solution for Monday, February 9, 2026 (puzzle #974), you've landed in the right place. We'll unravel the categories: USED IN WEAVING (LOOM, NEEDLE, SCISSORS, YARN), METHOD (APPROACH, MANNER, STYLE, WAY), KINDS OF PAYMENT FOR AN AUTHOR (ADVANCE, BONUS, FEE, ROYALTY), and DRAW ___ (NEAR, POKER, STRAWS, THE LINE). Stick with us, and we'll show you not just the answers, but how to think like a Connections pro.
Cracking Today's Connections: Unveiling the Themes
Before we dive into the full solutions, let's explore the subtle clues that guide you through this linguistic labyrinth. The real magic of Connections isn't just knowing words; it's understanding the underlying logic and the playful misdirections the creators love to throw our way.
Here's a spoiler-free peek at the types of categories you'll encounter in Connections puzzle #974:
- Yellow category: Related nouns.
- Green category: Similar nouns.
- Blue category: Related nouns.
- Purple category: Fill in the blank.
Now, for a slightly more direct nudge toward the themes themselves:
- Yellow category: What a craftsperson might need.
- Green category: “How do you do things around here?”
- Blue category: They land in your bank account.
- Purple category: They go with an art verb.
Sometimes, a single word can throw you off track entirely. The puzzle designers are masters of this. For instance, in today's game:
- ROYALTY isn't about crowns and castles here. It refers to a specific type of payment, often received for using someone's intellectual property.
- If you're trying to decide who tackles the less-than-glamorous chores, you might do this with STRAWS.
- MANNER describes how something is done, like “her manner of speaking was quite formal.”
The Full Reveal: Today's NYT Connections Answers
Ready to see how all the pieces fit together? No more holding back. Here are the complete solutions for February 9, 2026, Connections puzzle #974. Scroll slowly if you prefer to uncover them one by one!
Yellow Category: USED IN WEAVING
Often the most straightforward, the yellow category today ties directly into craftsmanship. The words are: LOOM, NEEDLE, SCISSORS, YARN. These are all essential tools or materials for creating textiles.
Green Category: METHOD
The second-easiest grouping, this category explores different ways of doing something. The words are: APPROACH, MANNER, STYLE, WAY. Each describes a particular technique or fashion of execution.
Blue Category: KINDS OF PAYMENT FOR AN AUTHOR
This category requires a bit more specific knowledge, focusing on financial arrangements. The words are: ADVANCE, BONUS, FEE, ROYALTY. These are all forms of compensation, particularly relevant in publishing or creative fields.
Purple Category: DRAW ___
Considered the trickiest, this "fill-in-the-blank" category demands a leap of associative reasoning. The words are: NEAR, POKER, STRAWS, THE LINE. You can "draw near" (approach), "draw cards in poker," "draw straws" (for selection), and "draw the line" (set a boundary). Clever, right?
My Solving Journey
When I tackled this puzzle, my mind immediately gravitated towards STYLE, WAY, MANNER, and APPROACH. They just felt like a natural fit for describing different methods. Bingo, that was the green group. 🟩
Next, I spotted YARN, LOOM, SCISSORS, and NEEDLE. These screamed "fabric" or "sewing" to me, a clear set of items used in weaving. That clicked into yellow. 🟨
With those out of the way, ROYALTY, BONUS, ADVANCE, and FEE stood out. They all represent forms of payment, especially those tied to contracts or agreements. Perfect for the blue category. 🟦
That left NEAR, POKER, STRAWS, and THE LINE. At first, I was stumped. "Hold NEAR"? "Texas hold 'em POKER"? Then it clicked: the common verb is "draw." You "draw near," "draw cards in poker," "draw straws" to make a choice, and "draw the line" to define a limit. The purple category, solved! 🟪
```
Connections
Puzzle #974
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🪪🪪🪪
```
Elevate Your Connections Game: Strategies for Mastery
Connections isn't just about luck; it's about sharpening your cognitive skills. Mastering the game involves more than just guessing; it's about strategic thinking, pattern recognition, and resisting the urge to jump to conclusions.
The Fundamentals: A Quick Recap
For those new to the game, here's a swift refresher. You'll find 16 words on the New York Times game board. Your task? Group four words that share a common thread. These connections can be straightforward (like types of weather) or wonderfully deceptive (think wordplay, like items that precede a common word). Select your four, hit submit, and hope for that satisfying chime! Remember, yellow is the easiest, progressing to green, blue, and finally the notoriously tricky purple.
Winning Strategies: Beyond the Obvious
The real challenge, and the true joy, of Connections lies in its deliberate overlaps. The creators excel at luring you into false groupings. Your ultimate goal isn't just to find a connection, but to find the only four words that fit that specific connection, leaving no stragglers that could belong elsewhere.
“The ability to spot subtle connections between seemingly disparate items is a hallmark of creative problem-solving, a skill enhanced by regular engagement with puzzles like Connections (Harvard, 2024).”
Here are a few common traps and how to navigate them:
- The "Too Many Options" Trap: You might see six words that could all be "types of fruit." For example, ORANGE, LIME, GRAPE, CHERRY, APPLE, BANANA. But what if four of them are also colors? (ORANGE, LIME, CHERRY, GRAPE for fruit, but ORANGE, LIME, TEAL, CRIMSON for colors). Always double-check if your chosen four are the *only* four for that specific category.
- The "Hidden Verb" Trap: Sometimes a noun is also a verb, and that's the key. Imagine words like FORK, KNIFE, SPOON, WHISK, STIR, BAKE. You might see FORK, KNIFE, SPOON, WHISK as "kitchen utensils." But what if WHISK, STIR, BAKE, CHOP is actually the category "Cooking Actions"? Be mindful of words with multiple meanings (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
- The "Sound-Alikes" Trap: Puzzles sometimes play on homophones or words that sound similar but have different meanings. For instance, you might see BASS, GUITAR, DRUM, PIANO (Musical Instruments). But what if BASS is meant to go with TENOR, ALTO, SOPRANO (Vocal Ranges), while GUITAR, DRUM, PIANO, OBOE is the actual instrument group?
When you feel completely stuck, try looking for the outliers. Which words seem to resist all obvious groupings? Sometimes, those isolated words are the key to unlocking a less apparent, but perfectly valid, category.
And, of course, a little help never hurts. That’s why Routinova brings you today's NYT Connections hints every single day. We're here to help you cultivate that sharp, analytical mind, one puzzle at a time. Check back tomorrow for the next challenge!
