NYT Connections sorts 16 words into four groups of four, rewarding pattern recognition and lateral thinking. The February 2, 2026 puzzle challenged solvers with a mix of synonyms, homonym wordplay, literary characters, and TV detectives. Below you’ll find careful hints followed by the full grouped answers.
NYT Connections Puzzle Overview: February 2, 2026
Today’s grid presented an intriguing blend of difficulty. The first category consisted of straightforward synonyms for duration—words that could describe a span of time. The second group required recognizing characters from modern crime television, spanning different eras and networks. A third category played on homonyms and wordplay, while the final group tested knowledge of classic and contemporary detective fiction. Solvers who identified the duration synonyms early gained momentum, while others found themselves tangled in the clever homonym connections and literary references.
NYT Connections Hints: February 2, 2026
Category 1:
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Think of words meaning “a length of time” or “how long something lasts.”
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All four words can describe a continuous block of time.
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Common in both everyday conversation and formal writing.
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Consider words used in temporal contexts—interviews, exercises, and historical events all reference these.
Category 2:
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These are all protagonists from modern crime and detective series.
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They come from different networks and decades of television.
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Some are hardboiled detectives from novels adapted for screen.
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Think contemporary and classic TV crime drama figures.
Category 3:
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Each of these words can follow a common word to create a well-known phrase or object.
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The connecting word relates to identification and access.
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Think about credentials, security, and things you wear or carry.
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Consider items used for verification or entry to events.
Category 4:
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All four are titles from religious texts, hymns, or famous literature.
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Some are biblical Psalms, others are literary works or song titles.
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They share a specific naming convention or classification system.
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Think poetry, scripture, and classical works in literature.
NYT Connections Answers: February 2, 2026
Category 1:
Category 2:
Category 3:
Category 4:
Conclusion & Quick Strategy Tip
Today’s puzzle mixed straightforward temporal synonyms with crime television literacy, event-related credentials, and a more nuanced literary/cultural category. Many solvers likely identified the duration group immediately, moved quickly through the television detective characters, then paused at the credential/fair-related words and the final literary category—both requiring either specific knowledge or lateral thinking about common phrases and cultural references.
Quick strategy tip: Start with the most obvious synonym group (duration) to build confidence and clear the board. Next, tackle the crime television category if you’re familiar with contemporary series. Use the remaining words to reverse-engineer the connecting patterns—when stuck, look for words that might share a common prefix or suffix, or think about what objects or phrases they naturally complete.
