February 22, 2025 Connections: Hints & Solutions (Puzzle #622)

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This edition of the Connections puzzle is sure to challenge you, so get ready for a fun ride with some intriguing clues. It features some unusual aspects, including what might be the longest category title I’ve ever encountered. Surprisingly, the category that was expected to be straightforward turned out to be the toughest, leading me down memory lane to my kindergarten days filled with arts and crafts. It was indeed an emotional journey, and I genuinely hope you find as much enjoyment as I did while navigating through the hints below.

If you prefer a puzzle that’s a bit more conventional, the NYT’s Letter Boxed is consistently interesting yet still provides a good challenge. You’ll need to link five words together by constantly moving around the sides of a box. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be zipping around the box effortlessly, successfully gathering all the necessary words.

Today’s Connections Category Hints

FEBRUARY 22 #622

As mentioned, this puzzle was quite the adventure to solve, but I wouldn’t classify it as overly challenging. At first, it seemed that there was no discernible pattern, and the few I noticed led me astray. Nonetheless, I persevered and managed to untangle the clues, and I’m here to assist you in doing the same.

Here are some hints for the categories:

• One category consists of several terms describing people who excel at what they do.
• Another category includes four methods to create variations with a specific natural fiber.
• One category is centered around items you might find in an elementary school arts and crafts area.
• Finally, one category contains four words that typically follow a color in various phrases.

If you’re still in need of assistance, don’t worry; I’ve got both category names and spoilers to help you along the way. My apologies in advance for the unusual appearance of the layout caused by the first category name’s length.

Today’s Connections Answers

FEBRUARY 22 #622

Yellow Answers: Explained

Category: Members of a Team with the Most Championships in Their Respective Sports

• CANADIEN
• CELTIC
• PACKER
• YANKEE

This one was tricky, and I found it to be one of the hardest categories. While CELTIC and CANADIEN formed a clear pairing, the other two don’t belong in the same sports category. Those less acquainted with sports might have found this challenging. Additionally, it’s the longest, most elaborate category title I’ve ever encountered, which is both impressive and, perhaps, unnecessary.

Green Answers: Explained

Category: Create Volume/Texture in Hair

• CRIMP
• CURL
• FEATHER
• TEASE

I’d consider this category the simplest. CRIMP and CURL provided the initial clues, while the other two took a bit longer to surface. I was also reminded of the Yale Doodle song, which transported me back to my elementary school days, although I was disappointed that selecting all four words didn’t get me the correct category connection.

Blue Answers: Explained

Category: Supplies for Macaroni Art

• GLITTER
• GLUE
• MACARONI
• PAPER

The song “Yankee Doodle Dandy” jogged some memories, but recognizing the full context here was powerful. The moment I aligned MACARONI with the others in the art supplies category, vivid images of GLITTER explosions, liquid Elmer’s GLUE, and scattered MACARONI on a sheet of PAPER came to mind. I smiled and shook my head as I pieced it all together.

Purple Answers: Explained

Category: Words Following "Golden"

• DOODLE
• GOOSE
• PARACHUTE
• ROD

This category was also a bit unexpected, as many past iterations have relied on a consistent “X___” naming style. Although I didn’t find the subject strange, the name structure caught me off guard. Perhaps they are experimenting with different formats, but I certainly wasn’t ready for this.

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