Today’s NYT Connections hint & answers: clues for February 25
Clues and hints to help you solve puzzle #990
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If today’s NYT Connections puzzle is giving you trouble, you’re not alone. With 16 words on the board and only four mistakes allowed, it’s easy to chase the wrong link before the real categories reveal themselves. Below, you’ll find a set of hints to guide you in the right direction, and if you’d rather skip ahead, the full answers are further down the page.
This guide covers NYT Connections puzzle #990, released on Wednesday, February 25.
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four clues to help steer you toward the correct categories. They’re ordered from the easiest group to the toughest:
- 🟨 hint: To look after or raise
- 🟩 hint: Foundational or basic
- 🟦 hint: Famous people named James
- 🟪 hint: Each word hides a smaller “family” word at the end
If you’d like a little extra help, here’s one word from each group:
- 🟨: BABY
- 🟩: KEY
- 🟦: COOK
- 🟪: DECLAN
Today’s Connections answers (February 25)
If you’re ready for the full solution, here it is:
🟨 Care for: BABY, FOSTER, MOTHER, NURSE
🟩 Elementary: BASIC, KEY, PRIMARY, PRINCIPAL
🟦 Jameses: BROWN, COOK, DEAN, HARDEN
🟪 Ending in family words: ALKALINE (line), DECLAN (clan), DIATRIBE (tribe), NAPKIN (kin)
The purple category is the trickiest today, requiring you to spot hidden words at the end of each answer. Once you notice the shared pattern, the connection becomes much clearer.
Can Connections get harder?
Connections doesn’t steadily increase in difficulty, but category styles vary day to day. Some puzzles lean on straightforward synonyms, while others, like today’s purple group, rely on subtle wordplay.
If today’s challenge felt manageable, tomorrow’s could test a completely different skill set.
