NYT Connections puzzle #970, for Thursday, February 5, 2026, groups the 16 words into Cultural Symbols of the U.S., Collide With, Blue Things, and Lees of Hollywood. If you want to preserve the solve, use the hints first; the full answer key follows.
Hints for Connections #970
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four by finding a shared link. The grid can include red herrings, and Forbes notes that players can make three incorrect guesses before a fourth ends the game. You can shuffle the words if a different layout helps.
- One group contains familiar symbols associated with the United States.
- One group consists of verbs meaning to collide with something.
- Look for three familiar blue things and one deep-blue stone.
- The last four entries are first names that share a surname associated with Hollywood.
Answers for NYT Connections #970
Spoilers: The complete categories and word sets are below.
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| Cultural Symbols of the U.S. | AMERICAN FLAG, APPLE PIE, BALD EAGLE, BASEBALL |
| Collide With | BUMP, BUTT, KNOCK, RAM |
| Blue Things | JEANS, LAPIS LAZULI, OCEAN, SKY |
| Lees of Hollywood | ANG, BRUCE, CHRISTOPHER, SPIKE |
Why the four groups fit
Cultural Symbols of the U.S.
The American flag, apple pie, bald eagle, and baseball are all presented as cultural symbols of the United States. The connection is cultural association rather than a claim that these are the country’s only or official symbols.
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Collide With
Bump, butt, knock, and ram can each mean to collide with something. The phrase “collide with” helps distinguish this set from other possible associations among the words.
Blue Things
Jeans, the ocean, and the sky are familiar examples of things commonly associated with blue. LAPIS LAZULI is the less obvious entry: it is a deep-blue stone, described by TechRadar as an ancient deep-blue metamorphic rock.
Rank #2
Lees of Hollywood
Ang, Bruce, Christopher, and Spike are first names of people with the surname Lee: Ang Lee, Bruce Lee, Christopher Lee, and Spike Lee. Forbes’s writer says BRUCE initially brought Bruce Springsteen to mind; spotting ANG helped expose the intended surname connection.
Where the puzzle can mislead
The words BUMP, KNOCK, BUTT, and SPIKE may look like they belong together around rejection, but SPIKE is not part of the “Collide With” set. It belongs with the Hollywood Lees; RAM completes the collision group. TechRadar’s writer reported being drawn toward that mistaken grouping while solving.
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How to use hints without spoiling the solve
Read the four category clues above before opening the answer table if you want a nudge without giving away every word. The complete key ends the puzzle-solving part; progressive reveals are useful when you want to retain some of the challenge.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.About the puzzle
This is the digital NYT Connections game numbered 970, dated Thursday, February 5, 2026. The guides describe it as a 16-word puzzle with four groups of four. GameDaily says the web-based game resets after midnight in the player’s local time zone.
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