NYT Connections Answers – Friday, February 6, 2026 (#971)

NYT Connections Answers – Friday, February 6, 2026 (Puzzle #971)

Need today’s NYT Connections answers for February 6, 2026 (#971)? Here are progressive hints, the full solutions for all four categories, quick explanations, and strategies so you can crack this one — especially the tricky purple that gets easier if you say the clues out loud!

Today’s puzzle was described as “kind of tough” with the purple category requiring a homophone trick.

Puzzle date: Friday, February 6, 2026
Connections number: 971
Play free: nytimes.com/games/connections (or NYT Games app)

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Progressive Hints for Today’s Connections (#971)

Ranked easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple):

1. Yellow – Java time → things you find at a coffee/tea station.
2. Green – Not spots → things that have stripes (not polka dots or other patterns).
3. Blue – Fore! → words that go before “fly” to name common insects.
4. Purple – They sound the same as various salutations → say the words aloud — they’re homophones of greetings.

Still working? Scroll for the answers.

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Full Answers – NYT Connections #971 (Feb 6, 2026)

🟨 Yellow – Items at a coffee station

• CUP
• LID
• STIRRER
• STRAW

(Things you grab when making or taking coffee/tea to go)

🟩 Green – Things with stripes

• CANDY CANE
• CROSSWALK
• REFEREE
• TIGER

(Objects/animals/roles famous for having stripes)

🟦 Blue – Words before “fly” in insect names

• BUTTER (butterfly)
• DRAGON (dragonfly)
• FIRE (firefly)
• HORSE (horsefly)

(Common insect names formed by prefix + “fly”)

🟪 Purple – Homophones of greetings

• CHOW (sounds like “ciao” – Italian hello/goodbye)
• HAY (sounds like “hey” – casual greeting)
• HIGH (sounds like “hi” – informal hello)
• YEOH (sounds like “yo” – casual greeting, as in Michelle Yeoh)

(Words that sound identical to common greetings/salutations when spoken aloud)

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Today’s 16 Words (for reference)

BUTTER, CANDY CANE, CHOW, CROSSWALK, CUP, DRAGON, FIRE, HAY, HIGH, HORSE, LID, REFEREE, STIRRER, STRAW, TIGER, YEOH

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Quick Solving Tips & Why It Was Tough

• Yellow — Very visual/coffee-shop related — CUP + LID + STIRRER usually click fast.
• Green — Stripes pattern is clear once TIGER or REFEREE is spotted.
• Blue — Insect knowledge helps — “fly” suffix is the giveaway.
• Purple — The “stumper” — must say words aloud to hear the homophones (chow=ciao, hay=hey, high=hi, Yeoh=yo). Saying clues out loud is the key hint.
• Average difficulty — High; purple homophone twist caused most mistakes.

Pro strategy — Start with concrete categories (coffee items: CUP + LID + STIRRER + STRAW), then stripes (TIGER + REFEREE), then insect names (BUTTER + DRAGON + FIRE + HORSE), and finally speak the remaining words aloud for purple.

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FAQ – NYT Connections February 6, 2026 (#971)

Q: What are the answers for Connections puzzle #971 (Feb 6, 2026)?
A:
🟨 Items at a coffee station: CUP, LID, STIRRER, STRAW
🟩 Things with stripes: CANDY CANE, CROSSWALK, REFEREE, TIGER
🟦 Words before “fly” in insect names: BUTTER, DRAGON, FIRE, HORSE
🟪 Homophones of greetings: CHOW, HAY, HIGH, YEOH

Q: Why “YEOH” in purple?
A: Sounds exactly like “yo” — a casual greeting. Michelle Yeoh pronunciation helps the clue.

Q: Which insects are in blue?
A: Butterfly, dragonfly, firefly, horsefly — all common “___fly” names.

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: Yes — called “kind of tough” due to the homophone purple category that requires saying words aloud.

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

Bookmark for daily NYT Connections hints & answers. See you tomorrow for #972. Happy connecting! 🔗