‘Connections’ February 9: Hints and Answers for Puzzle #609

If you are finding today’s Connections puzzle tricky, you’ve come to the right place.

To help you maintain your winning streak, Newsweek has compiled some helpful hints to guide you through Sunday’s puzzle—without giving too much away.

Since its launch in The New York Times in June 2023, Connections has gained a massive following. It is now the newspaper’s second most popular game after Wordle.

The puzzle tests players’ abilities to group words based on subtle connections, requiring a mix of logic and language skills.

This article will walk you through the basics of the game, offer tips to improve your puzzle-solving skills, and provide hints for Sunday’s challenge.

How to Play Connections

In Connections, players must group 16 words into four categories based on their relationships. Each group is coded by color to indicate difficulty: yellow for the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple for more challenging sets.

The puzzles often incorporate homophones, wordplay, and other clever twists, ensuring they are rarely straightforward. Players can use the shuffle button to mix up the words on the screen if they get stuck.

Wyna Liu, a crossword editor at the Times who was asked to develop Connections, recently offered tips for tackling the game in an interview with Newsweek.

“My top advice is to hold off on guessing as long as you can,” Liu said. “You might spot a clear category and think you see five words that fit, but don’t try guessing the four until you’re sure which one doesn’t belong. Jumping in too soon can cost you a turn.”

Liu also warned against what she calls “rage solving,” a method she confessed to using herself on occasion.