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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Spoiler: The February 14, 2026, NYT Connections solution is below. A TechRadar report published February 13 identifies the puzzle as game #979; another archive gives a conflicting number, though it lists the same groups.
Connections answers for February 14, 2026
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| UPTICK | HIKE, JUMP, RISE, SPIKE |
| PROTUBERANCE | BUMP, HUMP, LUMP, MOUND |
| TOM HANKS ROLES | GUMP, PHILLIPS, SULLY, WOODY |
| WORDS BEFORE “MINT” | BREATH, JUNIOR, PEPPER, SPEAR |
These category labels and word groupings are reported by TechRadar’s February 14 answer report. An Unscramble It archive page lists the same groups but calls the puzzle #1033, so #979 is the number attributed to the dated TechRadar report.
How Connections works
Each puzzle presents 16 words to sort into four groups of four. The groups are color-coded yellow, green, blue, and purple, from easiest to trickiest, according to the NYT Help Center’s Connections guide. In this puzzle, the links include terms for an increase, words for a raised lump, Tom Hanks roles, and words that form familiar phrases before “mint.”
Replay the puzzle
The NYT says Connections is available on its Games website and in its apps, with each daily puzzle releasing at midnight in the player’s timezone. Its archive reaches back to June 12, 2023; archive access is for All Access and Games subscribers. Playing an archived puzzle can affect some statistics, but it does not change current or maximum streaks. Check the official guide for current access terms.
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