For those looking for NYT Connections hints before revealing the full solution, today’s puzzle offers a mix of simple groupings and more subtle wordplay. However, readers are recommended:
Warning: There are spoilers for Connections ahead!
What are NYT connections?
Released as part of The New York Times’ growing suite of word games, Connections challenges players to organize 16 seemingly unrelated words into four groups of four, each united by a shared theme.
Unlike simple word association games, Connections requires strategy. Some categories are obvious, while others rely on puns, abbreviations, or cultural references. Players have four chances to make incorrect groupings before the game ends.
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Accessible on both desktop and mobile devices, the puzzle’s clean interface and increasing difficulty have helped it gain a following around the world. Like Wordle, players often share their colored results grid on social media after solving the day’s challenge.
NYT Connection Tips for February 12, 2026
For players who prefer a nudge rather than a full reveal, here are Connections’ official hints for puzzle #977, according to a report by The Times of India:
- YELLOW: Romantic longing
- GREEN: Money in the bank
- BLUE: Solid objects
- PURPLE: Start with a word that goes with “rocker.”
Additional clues circulating among players today include:
- Think about a certain sport.
- As with clay.
- You won’t be able to get it out of the ground.
- Royalty.
These layered suggestions are designed to generate recognition without immediately revealing the answers. As always, identifying the easiest category first can help eliminate confusion in the rest of the grid.
NYT Connection Categories for February 12, 2026
For those ready to see how today’s grid was structured, here are the four official categories in puzzle #977:
- YELLOW: BUILD
- GREEN: FIXED IN PLACE
- BLUE: MLB PLAYER, FOR SHORT
- PURPLE: ____ QUEEN
Today’s setup combines action verbs, descriptive adjectives, sports abbreviations and fun word combinations, a typical combination for experienced Connections players.
NYT Connections Responses for February 12, 2026
If you’ve exhausted your attempts or just want to confirm your solution, here are the full answers for riddle #977:
YELLOW: BUILD
FORM, MAKE, MOLD, PRODUCE
GREEN: FIXED IN PLACE
FAST, FIRM, FROZEN, TIGHT
BLUE: MLB PLAYER, FOR SHORT
A, CARD, JAY, YANK
PURPLE: ____ QUEEN
DAIRY, DANCE, DRAG, MAY
The BLUE category may have posed difficulties for non-baseball fans, since each word is part of the name of a Major League team: Athletic (A), Cardinal (CARD), Blue Jay (JAY) and Yankee (YANK).
The PURPLE category required recognizing familiar phrases like “Dairy Queen” and “Drag Queen,” which reinforced the puzzle’s reliance on cultural knowledge.
Why today’s puzzle stood out
Puzzle #977 hits what many players describe as the “sweet spot”: not too dark, but with enough layers to require careful thought. The YELLOW group’s verbs may have seemed interchangeable at first glance, while the GREEN group relied on recognizing words that suggest something immovable.
The combination of sports shorthand and pop culture references in the remaining sets added diversity to the solving experience.
As with most daily grids, strategy plays a key role. Experienced players often recommend looking for obvious word pairs first before trying out potential groupings.
Frequently asked questions
What are NYT Connections tips?
NYT Connections Hints are clues provided to guide players toward identifying the four categories hidden in the daily puzzle without directly revealing the answers.
How many errors are allowed in Connections?
Players can make up to four incorrect groupings before the game ends.