Issue #617 Mon 17 Feb
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — February 17, 2025
Today's grid offers a steady climb, with four distinct groups that rely on clear definitions rather than tricky wordplay. A patient solver will find the paths separate cleanly without too much overlap.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
The out-of-office autoreply is set, the laptop is shut, and the quiet of the house settles in for the duration.
Workplace and employment terminology
Synonyms for intervals of inactivity
Members are 4–8 letters; first letters B, L, R, V.
TIME OFF
One is BREAK.
BREAK · LEAVE · REST · VACATION
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
Following a hiker whose boots have worn a path through the tall grass, zig-zagging to avoid the steep incline.
Movement and physical trajectory
Verbs describing irregular paths
Members are 4–5 letters; first letters C, S, W.
FOLLOW A MEANDERING COURSE
One is CURVE.
CURVE · SNAKE · WEAVE · WIND
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
The heavy thud of a ball hitting the pins, followed by the clatter of wood and a digital tally on the overhead screen.
Competitive sports scoring
Terminology specific to a single sport
Members are 5–6 letters; first letters D, S, T.
BOWLING RESULTS
One is DOUBLE.
DOUBLE · SPARE · STRIKE · TURKEY
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
Looking into a small glass bowl on the kitchen counter to see which creature is swimming laps today.
Common aquatic compound words
Words preceding a shared suffix
Members are 3–5 letters; first letters B, C, G, S.
___FISH
One is BLOW.
BLOW · CAT · GOLD · SWORD
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
-
Reveal the yellow group
TIME OFFBREAK · LEAVE · REST · VACATION
-
Reveal the green group
FOLLOW A MEANDERING COURSECURVE · SNAKE · WEAVE · WIND
-
Reveal the blue group
BOWLING RESULTSDOUBLE · SPARE · STRIKE · TURKEY
-
Reveal the violet group
___FISHBLOW · CAT · GOLD · SWORD
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on February 17, 2025. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for February 17, 2025, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on February 17, 2025?
NYT Connections on February 17, 2025 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 17, 2025?
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 #617?
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