Issue #236 Fri 2 Feb
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — February 2, 2024
A tidy collection of four distinct challenges that reward careful sorting. Today's grid demands a sharp eye for both direct synonyms and the trickier linguistic overlaps that test your focus.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The out-of-office autoreply you draft while staring at the clock on a Friday afternoon.
Calendar and workplace terminology
Synonyms for a period of absence
Members are 5–7 letters; first letters B, H, L, R.
TIME OFF
One is BREAK.
BREAK · HOLIDAY · LEAVE · RECESS
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
You pull the end tight, hear the metal click, and realize you need to buy a new one.
Accessories and hardware components
Physical parts of a fastener
Members are 4–6 letters; first letters B, H, L, S.
FEATURES OF A BELT
One is BUCKLE.
BUCKLE · HOLE · LOOP · STRAP
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
A whispered conversation where you realize two people are saying the exact same thing in different ways.
Linguistic phenomena
Words that sound identical
Members are 4–6 letters; first letters H, W.
HOMOPHONES
One is HOLEY.
HOLEY · HOLI · HOLY · WHOLLY
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
Walk through a carpentry workshop and count how many types of timber you can spot in the scrap pile.
Botanical and material terms
Compound words sharing a suffix
Members are 3–6 letters; first letters D, H, S.
___WOOD
One is DOG.
DOG · DRIFT · HOLLY · SANDAL
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
TIME OFFBREAK · HOLIDAY · LEAVE · RECESS
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Reveal the green group
FEATURES OF A BELTBUCKLE · HOLE · LOOP · STRAP
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Reveal the blue group
HOMOPHONESHOLEY · HOLI · HOLY · WHOLLY
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Reveal the violet group
___WOODDOG · DRIFT · HOLLY · SANDAL
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on February 2, 2024. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for February 2, 2024, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on February 2, 2024?
NYT Connections on February 2, 2024 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on February 2, 2024?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #236?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words