NYT Connections Answers – Tuesday, February 2, 2026 (#967)

NYT Connections Answers – Tuesday, February 2, 2026 (Puzzle #967)

Need today’s NYT Connections answers for February 2, 2026 (#967)? Here are progressive hints, the full solutions for all four categories, quick explanations, and strategies so you can nudge your solve or confirm your perfect game!

Today’s puzzle had a fun Agatha Christie nod in the purple category (Miss Marple!), making it especially enjoyable for mystery fans.

Puzzle date: Tuesday, February 2, 2026
Connections number: 967
Play free: nytimes.com/games/connections (or NYT Games app)

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Progressive Hints for Today’s Connections (#967)

Ranked easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple):

1. Yellow – Time → periods or lengths of time.
2. Green – Need to get in → things that grant access or entry.
3. Blue – Characters in a certain genre of books → modern detective/crime protagonists.
4. Purple – They grow in the forest, sometimes, but there’s a twist → tree names with an extra letter added at the beginning.

Still working? Scroll for the answers.

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Full Answers – NYT Connections #967 (Feb 2, 2026)

🟨 Yellow – Duration

• INTERVAL
• PERIOD
• SPAN
• STRETCH

(Synonyms for a length or amount of time)

🟩 Green – Credentials for entry

• LANYARD
• PASS
• STAMP
• WRISTBAND

(Items that serve as proof of access or admission — concerts, events, backstage, etc.)

🟦 Blue – Modern crime series protagonists

• BOSCH (Harry Bosch – Michael Connelly series)
• CROSS (Alex Cross – James Patterson series)
• REACHER (Jack Reacher – Lee Child series)
• RYAN (Jack Ryan – Tom Clancy series)

(Main characters from popular modern crime/thriller book series turned TV/movies)

🟪 Purple – Trees plus a letter

• FAIR (fir → fair)
• MARPLE (maple → Marple)
• POPULAR (poplar → popular)
• PSALM (palm → psalm)

(Tree names with one extra letter added at the beginning: fair, marple, popular, psalm — Agatha Christie fans spot Miss Marple instantly!)

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Today’s 16 Words (for reference)

BOSCH, CROSS, FAIR, INTERVAL, LANYARD, MARPLE, PASS, PERIOD, POPULAR, PSALM, REACHER, RYAN, SPAN, STAMP, STRETCH, WRISTBAND

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Quick Solving Tips & Why It Was Fun

• Purple twist — Hidden tree names with one added starting letter — very Christie-esque with MARPLE.
• Blue recognition — Crime/thriller fans spot the protagonists quickly; others may need the series connection.
• Overlaps — “pass” could mislead to time passing; “fair” might seem like an adjective before the tree pattern emerges.
• Average difficulty — Medium; yellow/green fast for most, blue/purple took longer due to specific knowledge/wordplay.

Pro strategy — Start with concrete categories (time words: INTERVAL + PERIOD + SPAN + STRETCH), then entry items (LANYARD + PASS + STAMP + WRISTBAND), then look for famous names (crime series), and finally scan for tree names hidden in purple.

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FAQ – NYT Connections February 2, 2026 (#967)

Q: What are the answers for Connections puzzle #967 (Feb 2, 2026)?
A:
🟨 Duration: INTERVAL, PERIOD, SPAN, STRETCH
🟩 Credentials for entry: LANYARD, PASS, STAMP, WRISTBAND
🟦 Modern crime series protagonists: BOSCH, CROSS, REACHER, RYAN
🟪 Trees plus a letter: FAIR, MARPLE, POPULAR, PSALM

Q: Why is “MARPLE” in the purple group?
A: It ends with maple (tree) — pattern is tree name with one extra starting letter added. Agatha Christie fans instantly recognize Miss Marple.

Q: Which crime series protagonists are in blue?
A:

• Bosch (Michael Connelly)
• Alex Cross (James Patterson)
• Jack Reacher (Lee Child)
• Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy)

Q: Where can I play today’s Connections?
A: Free at nytimes.com/games/connections or in the NYT Games app (no subscription needed for daily play).

Q: How many mistakes can I make?
A: Four lives — after that the puzzle ends. Use “one away” feedback wisely!

Q: Was today’s Connections harder than usual?
A: Medium — purple wordplay + specific book knowledge made it fun but challenging for non-crime-fiction readers.

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Got it in one go? Share your score in the comments!
🟨🟩🟦🟪 Perfect game? You’re on fire. Struggled on purple? Very common — those hidden trees are sneaky!

Bookmark for daily NYT Connections hints & answers. See you tomorrow for #968. Happy connecting!