Searching for the Connections solution for February 14, 2025? Continue reading for clues, tactics, and the answers to each of the four categories. I’ll clarify some of the more challenging words we encounter, helping to connect everything along the way.

For a quick way to access our daily Connections tips, bookmark this page. Previous hints are also archived here, so you can check what you may have overlooked in earlier puzzles.

Below are some subtle hints leading to today’s Connections answers, with the complete themes and answers provided further down. Take your time and gather only the hints you require!

Credit: Connections/NYT

Tips for Today’s Connections Themes

Here are some hints for the various categories in today’s Connections:

• Yellow category – A gesture you might make for a loved one when they give you those adorable puppy eyes.

• Green category – Actions typical of a certain type of reptile.

• Blue category – “Quiet, they’re coming!”

• Purple category – They resemble terms for bodies of water.

Caution: Spoilers Ahead!

Answers are coming up soon. Proceed carefully if you wish to avoid premature spoilers (the complete solution is down the page).

Heads-Up Regarding Difficult Elements

The terms BOO and BAE are unrelated; the same goes for BOO and HISS.

When pronounced, BAE sounds similar to another term.

HUMOR can function as a verb.

Today’s purple category consists of homophones, so speaking the words aloud may spark creativity if you’re uncertain.

Categories for Today’s Connections Puzzle

• Yellow: MOLLYCODDLE

• Green: THINGS A RATTLESNAKE DOES

• Blue: PHRASES UTTERED TO AN UNWARY PERSON

• Purple: HOMOPHONES OF WATER BODIES

Double Caution: The Answers Are Below

Prepared to uncover the solutions to today’s Connections puzzle? Proceed below for the detailed answers.

What are the yellow category words?

The yellow grouping is typically the easiest. This category centers around MOLLYCODDLE, with the terms being: BABY, HUMOR, INDULGE, PAMPER.

What about the green category?

The green grouping is generally considered the second simplest. The focus here is on THINGS A RATTLESNAKE DOES, which includes: HISS, RATTLE, SHED, SLITHER.

What words belong to the blue category?

The blue grouping is notably more challenging. This category emphasizes PHRASES UTTERED TO AN UNWARY PERSON, comprising: BOO, GOTCHA, GUESS WHO, SURPRISE.

Finally, what about the purple category?

The purple grouping is deemed the most difficult. This collection pertains to HOMOPHONES OF WATER BODIES, which includes: BAE, CREAK, SEE, STRAIGHT.

Solving Today’s Connections

Initially, I identified a potential category for playful expressions directed at a baby: SURPRISE, BOO, GUESS WHO, GOTCHA.

INDULGE, PAMPER, and BABY could all signify indulgent self-care actions.

BAE is slightly out of place—it’s a colloquial expression for a partner. Ah, but it connects with CREAK, SEE, and STRAIGHT; they form homophones for bodies of water (bay, creek, sea, strait). 🟪

Let’s also consider SURPRISE, BOO, GUESS WHO, and GOTCHA. 🟦

It seems HUMOR fits with BABY, INDULGE, and PAMPER; these words signify kindness or pampering. 🟨 MOLLYCODDLE resonates well here.

This leaves SHED, RATTLE, HISS, and SLITHER, all behaviors attributed to a rattlesnake. 🟩

Connections
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How to Engage with Connections

A comprehensive guide for Connections offers detailed rules. Here’s a quick overview:

First, access the Connections game either via the New York Times website or in their Games app (formerly known as the Crossword app). You’ll encounter a game board comprising 16 tiles, each displaying a word or phrase. Your objective is to identify a set of four tiles that share a common theme. Sometimes, the words might represent the same category (for instance: RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW are all varieties of precipitation), while at other times, puns might be at play (like BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH being types of lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).

Choose four terms and click the Submit button. A correct guess will reveal the category and its corresponding color. (Yellow is the simplest, followed by green, subsequently blue, and finally purple.) Should your guess be incorrect, you will have another opportunity to try again.

Complete victory comes when all four categories are correctly identified. However, if you make four mistakes before finishing, the game concludes, and the answers will be disclosed.

Winning Strategies for Connections

To successfully navigate Connections, remember that the groupings are intentionally designed to be perplexing. Anticipate overlaps in categories. An example puzzle could feature six breakfast items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. Yet, BACON could belong to a group of painters including CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG could be part of the group representing items that come in dozens (like JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). So refrain from clicking “submit” until assured that your selected four contain only those terms.

When facing difficulties, consider examining words that seem to lack connections to the others. If WHISTLER evokes thoughts of the iconic painting “Whistler’s Mother,” you might be onto something. Solving that puzzle involved checking if there was a painter named Close, because that term also didn’t fit any apparent themes.

Reading a few helpful hints serves as another advantageous approach when in a bind—which is why daily tips are shared. Return tomorrow for the next round of puzzling fun!