NYT Connections Answer

Welcome back, puzzle enthusiasts! If you’re checking the calendar, yes, it’s Friday the 13th. But don't let superstition get to you—today’s NYT Connections puzzle is more about clever wordplay than bad luck.

Wyna Liu has delivered a grid that requires a mix of vocabulary knowledge, brand recognition, and a very sharp ear for homophones. If you're feeling a bit stuck on the NYT Connections hint or just want to verify your findings, you’ve come to the right place.

Here is the breakdown and the answer for 2026-02-13.

Quick Hints for Today’s Categories

Before we reveal the full answers, here are some nudges to help you solve it yourself:

1. Yellow: These words are used to emphasize that something is absolute or complete.
2. Green: Think of things you might see flying above a castle or at the Olympics.
3. Blue: These are names of products often found in a convenience store behind the counter.
4. Purple: Say these words out loud. They sound like verbs that describe things becoming "less."

Yellow: Downright

This category consists of adjectives used as intensifiers. When you say something is "total nonsense," you could use any of these four words to mean the exact same thing.

• PURE
• SHEER
• STARK
• UTTER

Green: Pennant

These are all synonyms for a flag or a symbolic cloth used to represent a country, movement, or military unit. While "Standard" and "Colors" might have other meanings, in this context, they are classic vexillological terms.

• BANNER
• COLORS
• FLAG
• STANDARD

Blue: Cigarette Brands

This group might be a bit tricky if you aren't familiar with classic tobacco marketing. While "Camel" is a common animal and "Parliament" is a government body, in this grid, they belong to the world of smoke.

• CAMEL
• KENT
• PARLIAMENT
• SALEM

Purple: Homophones of Ways to Get Smaller

This is a classic "Wyna Liu Purple." Each of these words is a homophone (sounds like another word) for a verb that describes decreasing in size, depth, or intensity.

• LESSON (Lessen: to make smaller)
• RESEED (Recede: to move back or away)
• SYNC (Sink: to go down below the surface)
• WAYNE (Wane: to decrease in vigor or size, like the moon)

Final Thoughts on Today's Puzzle

Today's grid was a masterclass in redirection. Seeing CAMEL and FLAG might have made you think of the Middle East, while PARLIAMENT and STANDARD could have suggested government or law. The real "aha!" moment for me was realizing that WAYNE and LESSON had nothing to do with Bruce Wayne or a schoolroom, but were all about the sounds.

If you got caught up on the Purple category, don't feel bad—homophone categories are notoriously the hardest to spot because our brains tend to look at the spelling first!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you play NYT Connections?

The goal is to find groups of four words that share something in common. Select four words and tap "Submit" to see if your guess is correct. You have four lives before the game is over.

What do the colors mean in Connections?

The colors represent the difficulty level:

• Yellow: Most straightforward.
• Green: Common themes or synonyms.
• Blue: Specific knowledge or broader themes.
• Purple: The trickiest, often involving wordplay, homophones, or fill-in-the-blank clues.

When does the NYT Connections reset?

New puzzles are released every day at midnight in your local time zone via the New York Times Games app and website.

Is today's puzzle harder than usual?

With a "Friday the 13th" date, the Purple category (Homophones of Ways to Get Smaller) was definitely a bit of a trick, but the Yellow and Green categories were fairly accessible for most players!

See you tomorrow for more hints and solutions!