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Connections #251 hints for February 17
This archived puzzle is #251, published February 17, 2024—not the current daily game. Try these graduated nudges before revealing the groups.
- The most straightforward category is “BIT OF HAIR.”
- SHIP and ION belong together.
- EXPOSURE and PUBLICITY belong together.
- For the last group, think of words that come before “CIRCUS.”
All 16 words in the February 17 Connections puzzle
FAMILY, SHIP, LOCK, NESS, ION, PRESS, FLEA, CURL, FLYING, MEDIA, TRESS, EXPOSURE, COVERAGE, DOM, PUBLICITY, and RINGLET.
Connections #251 answer key
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| BIT OF HAIR | CURL, LOCK, RINGLET, TRESS |
| MEDIA ATTENTION | COVERAGE, EXPOSURE, PRESS, PUBLICITY |
| NOUN SUFFIXES | DOM, ION, NESS, SHIP |
| ___ CIRCUS | FAMILY, FLEA, FLYING, MEDIA |
Why each group fits
BIT OF HAIR
CURL, LOCK, RINGLET, and TRESS are all terms for a curl or strand of hair.
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MEDIA ATTENTION
COVERAGE, EXPOSURE, PRESS, and PUBLICITY describe forms of attention or reporting from the media.
NOUN SUFFIXES
DOM, ION, NESS, and SHIP can each be added to a word to form a noun, as in freedom, action, kindness, and friendship.
___ CIRCUS
FAMILY, FLEA, FLYING, and MEDIA each precede “circus” to make a familiar phrase.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Connections works
Connections presents 16 words to sort into four groups of four. The game’s colors indicate difficulty, from yellow as easiest to purple as trickiest. Some words can appear to fit more than one category; the New York Times Help Center explains, “Each puzzle has exactly one solution and is meant to be tricky by having words that could fit into multiple categories.”
Rank #3
The game releases daily at midnight in the player’s timezone. NYT’s archive includes puzzles dating back to June 12, 2023, with access subject to its subscriber requirements. See the New York Times Connections Help Center.
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