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NYT Connections puzzle #969, published Wednesday, February 4, 2026, groups words about tension, games of chance, approximate amounts, and NBA teams hidden at the starts of other words. Read the spoiler-light hints first; the complete groups and explanations follow the warning.
Hints for Connections #969
Parade’s spoiler-light clues for the four groups are: “Duke it out”; “Roulette is one”; “Pretty near”; and “Hoops groups, hidden in words.”
- One group is made up of words for antagonism between sides.
- Another consists of games where chance plays a central role.
- Look for casual ways to say an amount is approximate.
- In the trickiest group, the start of each word names an NBA team.
Spoiler warning: The full answers and word-by-word explanations are below.
Connections #969 answers
Yellow: CONTENTion
CONFLICT, DISCORD, FRICTION, RIVALRY all describe antagonism or tension between people or sides. “Friction” can be less direct than “conflict,” but each word fits the idea of opposition.
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Green: Games of chance
BINGO, CRAPS, LOTTERY, WAR are games in which chance is central. WAR refers here to the casino game based on the card game, not to armed conflict.
Blue: More or less, colloquially
APPROX, BOUT, LIKE, ROUND can each express an approximate amount. APPROX abbreviates “approximately”; BOUT is a colloquial spelling of “about”; ROUND can mean “around”; and LIKE can introduce an informal estimate, as in “like, 15 of them.”
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Purple: Starting with NBA teams
BULLSEYE, HEATED, MAGICAL, NETSCAPE each begins with the name of an NBA team: Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Brooklyn Nets, respectively. The team name is embedded at the start of a longer word; the rest of the word does not need to relate to basketball.
Why the connections can be misleading
The puzzle’s overlaps are deliberate. WAR may look like it belongs with conflict-related words, but its intended connection is the game of chance. BOUT may suggest a fight or boxing match, and ROUND can evoke a boxing round, yet both belong with APPROX and LIKE as colloquial expressions of approximation. NETSCAPE may call to mind a discontinued web-browser line, but its relevant feature here is that it starts with NETS.
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These are plausible decoys, not alternative accepted groups. Connections gives players 16 words to sort into four groups of four, and its categories are designed so that some words can appear to fit more than one theme. The colors indicate difficulty, from Yellow as easiest to Purple as trickiest; the daily puzzle releases at midnight in the player’s timezone. See the official Connections game for the game itself.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you replay puzzle #969?
The New York Times Help Center says Connections is free to play on its platforms, including NYTimes.com/games/connections and the Games app. Signing in helps retain progress across devices. The Help Center says All Access and Games subscribers can access the full archive, which dates back to June 12, 2023. Playing archived puzzles can affect some statistics but not streaks, and a completed archive puzzle cannot be replayed. Check the current NYT Connections Help Center page for access details.
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