NYT Connections Hints & Answers — February 9, 2026 (Puzzle #974)

The New York Times Connections daily puzzle has become a staple for word-game lovers around the world. Every morning players are greeted with 16 seemingly unrelated words and the challenge of grouping them into four logical categories of four. The categories range from easy to tricky, and the puzzle often combines literal meanings, wordplay, common phrases, and idioms into one satisfying challenge.

For Monday, February 9, 2026, the Connections puzzle (#974) delivered a mix of craft-related items, methods, author payouts, and idiomatic expressions, requiring a blend of logic, cultural knowledge, and idiom familiarity to solve. Below is a complete guide with integrated hints and the full answers — perfect for players who want to understand the thought process behind each category.

How to Approach Today’s Puzzle

Before jumping to solutions, it’s important to revisit how the game works:

Color Coding by Difficulty

• Yellow – usually the easiest category
• Green – moderately easy
• Blue – more challenging
• Purple – trickiest category

Players must choose four words that form a logical group, submit them, and if correct, those words disappear, revealing the next clue towards solving the remaining groups.

Insights & Hints for Today’s Categories

Here’s how to think through the puzzle before seeing the answers:

Group 1 — Think of Making Something by Hand

When you first scan the grid, look for words that might all relate to creating or working with physical materials. Today’s Yellow group leans on craftsmanship — specifically things you might find together in a workshop or textile setting. Every item in this group is part of a hands-on process where threads, pieces, and tools come together.

Group 2 — How Something Is Done

Once you’ve spotted a few literal physical items, shift your focus to words that reflect modes of doing things. These clues don’t describe objects but ways of performing actions. Think of terms that describe approach, manner, or style — conceptual words that describe a method rather than a thing.

Group 3 — Money Concepts Around Writing

Some of today’s words represent money-related terms, but in a specific context: the business of writing. If you’re familiar with publishing, you’ll recognize that writers often are paid in several ways beyond a base salary — through advances, bonuses, royalties, and fees. These words cluster naturally once you think of authors’ compensation.

Group 4 — Complete Common Phrases

The final group often requires you to complete a familiar phrase. The clue here revolves around the word draw. In English, the word “draw” appears in several expressions like “draw near” or “draw the line,” and this group collects the various endings that follow “draw.” Recognizing idiomatic phrases is key to unlocking the Purple category.

Full Answers for NYT Connections #974 — February 9, 2026

Now that you’ve had the chance to think through the themes, here are the correct word groupings — spoiler territory ahead:

Yellow – Used in Weaving (Craft Tools and Materials)

These words are commonly associated with textile creation:

• LOOM – The frame used to weave threads together
• NEEDLE – Tool for threading and sewing
• SCISSORS – Cutting tool used in fabric work
• YARN – The thread that gets woven

Hint Recap: This category involved items you might cluster together in a craft or workshop, especially textile construction.

Green – Method (How Something Is Done)

These words are all ways of performing actions, reflecting approach or style:

• APPROACH – A way of dealing with something
• MANNER – Style or method of doing something
• STYLE – Distinct way or approach
• WAY – Approach or route in a broad sense

Hint Recap: If you think semantically rather than literally, these words describe how something happens, not what it is.

Blue – Kinds of Payment for an Author

These are terms frequently used in the publishing world:

• ADVANCE – Payment made to authors before a book is published
• BONUS – Additional compensation beyond base earnings
• FEE – Charge paid for a service rendered
• ROYALTY – Ongoing payment based on sales revenue

Hint Recap: This category connects if you think money in the context of writing and contracts.

Purple – Draw ___ (Common Expressions)

These words complete familiar phrases starting with “draw”:

• NEAR – “Draw near” (come closer)
• POKER – “Draw poker” (variant of card game)
• STRAWS – “Draw straws” (choose randomly)
• THE LINE – “Draw the line” (set a limit)

Hint Recap: The Purple group often has wordplay or phrase-based logic. Recognizing the pattern behind idioms helps unlock this set.

Why This Puzzle Was Fun

What made Connections #974 enjoyable — and a little tricky — was the way it mixed literal objects with abstract concepts and phrases. For many solvers, the weaving tools and methods came first, but recognizing the payment terms and phrase completions required stepping back and thinking about context rather than single definitions.

If you approach the puzzle by scanning for easy literal groups first, then move toward abstract or idiomatic connections, you’ll find your solve rate improves over time.

Final Tips to Improve Your Win Streak

1. Scan for obvious groups first — physical items or obvious synonyms.
2. Type of word matters — nouns vs verbs vs idioms.
3. Remember recurring patterns — like “draw ___” or payment context in publishing.
4. Don’t hesitate to shuffle words visually to see new patterns.

A daily Connections puzzle isn’t just about vocabulary — it’s about seeing patterns others might miss!