NYT Connections sorts 16 words into four groups of four, rewarding pattern recognition and lateral thinking. The February 1, 2026 puzzle blended straightforward synonyms with clever wordplay categories and visual-shape groupings. Below you’ll find careful hints followed by the full grouped answers.
NYT Connections Puzzle Overview: February 1, 2026
Today’s grid felt balanced: one group leaned on synonyms for promotion, another on shoe types, a third on visual/shape-based wordplay, and one on musical terms with a linguistic twist. Solvers who spotted the straightforward promotion group early and worked through the shoe vocabulary moved fastest; others hesitated at the Y-shaped objects and musical rhyme categories.
NYT Connections Hints: February 1, 2026
Category 1:
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Think verbs meaning “to promote” or “to advertise.”
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Often used in marketing, entertainment, and business contexts.
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Common words you hear when someone wants to draw attention to something.
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All convey the same general action with slightly different connotations.
Category 2:
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These are all distinct styles and types of shoes.
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Includes both casual and formal footwear varieties.
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One is a sturdy, often wooden-soled shoe.
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Another is a backless slip-on; one has a distinctive angled heel.
Category 3:
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Think about the visual shapes of these words or objects.
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Each item has a distinctive outline or silhouette resembling a letter.
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Picture the form these words take when visualized.
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A tricky category that rewards thinking beyond definitions.
Category 4:
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All four are music-related terms or references.
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Some are genres or types of musical compositions.
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The connection involves a shared linguistic element across the words.
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Think about what these musical terms might have in common structurally.
NYT Connections Answers: February 1, 2026
Here are the answers, grouped by category.
Category 1:
Category 2:
Category 3:
Category 4:
Conclusion & Quick Strategy Tip
Today’s puzzle mixed straightforward synonym sets with a clever visual-wordplay category and musical vocabulary, offering a satisfying balance of difficulty. Many solvers likely breezed through the promotion and shoe groups, then paused at the Y-shaped objects category—a rewarding “aha” moment for those who spotted the pattern.
Quick strategy tip: clear the obvious synonym groups (promotion, footwear) first to free mental bandwidth, then use leftover unusual words to identify the trickier visual and musical themes.
