Jump to:

NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, February 24 (game #989)

News
By Contributions from published

My clues will help you solve the NYT's Connections puzzle today and keep that streak going

NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
(Image credit: New York Times)
Jump to:
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, February 23 (game #988).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #989) - today's words

NYT Connections hints for game 989 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

  • COWARD
  • LASER
  • SCOTTIE
  • BONES
  • JIM
  • CORAL
  • BALANCE
  • CHEKHOV
  • THISTLE
  • SHAW
  • SHELLS
  • TRACTOR
  • TARTAN
  • TEETH
  • MILLER
  • BAGPIPES

NYT Connections today (game #989) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: Formed from common white mineral
  • GREEN: Icons of kilt-wearing nation
  • BLUE: Dramatists of note
  • PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “scheme”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #989) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: CALCIUM-BASED STRUCTURES
  • GREEN: SYMBOLS OF SCOTLAND
  • BLUE: FAMOUS PLAYWRIGHTS
  • PURPLE: _____ BEAM

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #989) - the answers

NYT Connections answers for game 989 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #989, are…

  • YELLOW: CALCIUM-BASED STRUCTURES BONES, CORAL, SHELLS, TEETH
  • GREEN: SYMBOLS OF SCOTLAND BAGPIPES, SCOTTIE, TARTAN, THISTLE
  • BLUE: FAMOUS PLAYWRIGHTS CHEKHOV, COWARD, MILLER, SHAW
  • PURPLE: _____ BEAM BALANCE, JIM, LASER, TRACTOR
  • My rating: Hard
  • My score: 1 mistake

I once went to an event at the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee and mischievously asked the barman for a double JIM BEAM. The barman fixed me with a mean stare and told me “we do not say that name around here”, leaving me in no doubt that I’d crossed a line.

Despite my penchant for Jim’s bourbon, I still failed to see today's purple group and I also floundered over my attempt to complete the FAMOUS PLAYWRIGHTS, foolishly putting THISTLE instead of COWARD.

This error directed me to the significantly more obvious SYMBOLS OF SCOTLAND which, much like yesterday conical shapes group — which included a “cone” tile — included the word SCOTTIE after the eponymous dogs, all in aid of creating a ghost group of classic Star Trek characters (JIM, CHECKHOV, BONES) which I thankfully didn’t see until the game was over.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, February 23, game #988)

  • PURPLE: SETTINGS FOR A KISS BLARNEY STONE, MISTLETOE, NEW YEAR'S EVE, WEDDING
  • BLUE: POSE BLUFF, FRONT, MASQUERADE, POSTURE
  • YELLOW: EAT VORACIOUSLY BOLT, GORGE, INHALE, SCARF
  • GREEN: CONICAL THINGS CHRISTMAS TREE, CONE, PARTY HAT, VOLCANO

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Johnny Dee
Contributor

Johnny is a freelance pop culture journalist who has been writing about the internet, music, football and famous people since the iPhone was just a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye. Previously known by the pseudonym the Pop Detective, his journalistic career began making up stories about Madonna's addiction to sausage rolls (this is not true by the way). A man of few talents, his career is rich and various and includes the highs of interviewing Elton John and Blur; and the lows of interviewing Right Said Fred, appearing on a Channel 5 documentary about Peter Kay, and fact-checking the instruction manual for a German cooker. Somehow still affording to live in North London he is at his happiest riding his bicycle and shouting at pigeons.

With contributions from

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Back To Top