Looking for the answer to today's Connections puzzle, the Connections answer to puzzle #249 from February 15 is much harder than it was yesterday. The difficulty level for this puzzle in the Connections companion is 3.4 out of 5.

We update our Connections clues and hints daily. And if the hints are not enough, see the four answers below, along with the category title and related words. In addition, for those of you reading this in another time zone, I have included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle, #248.

There are spoilers for connection #249. Only those who want to know the answer to today's connection should read on.

Alternatively, see our NYT Connections How to Play Guide for tips on how to solve the puzzle without our help.

While today's wordle solution guide recommends the best wordle starting words as a strategy, the Connections solution depends on identifying the categories that are connected from the 16 words. The difficulty of each category is represented by a color, with yellow being the easiest grouping and purple the most difficult. Hints are helpful as the answer is displayed after four wrong guesses.

If you need a hint to solve the groupings, here are each theme in order of difficulty:

If you read these hints, you should at least find the answer to today's connection. If not, please continue reading for larger hints. Also, if you only want the answer, scroll down further.

Now, here's a bigger tip: You may feel a little "fuzzy" when staring into the "oasis" of words, but don't let that "help" you feel a false sense of security. Be mindful of synonyms, and don't get all kitchen-sick. It takes just a little "burn" and "light" to get the answer.

Now for the answer to today's game #249 connection.

Drum roll please.

Today's puzzle was dusting off an old Britpop record. The first thing I was confronted with was a strange array of words that seemed to be a mix of timekeeping and baking.

The word Watch caught my eye first, and I couldn't help but think of a clock ticking away the seconds. Hourglass matched this theme, as did Timer, but unfortunately it was never a perfect match. The fourth clock was like a forgotten clock in a drawer that just wouldn't let go of my heart. I twisted my head a bit and put Watch, Monitor, Survey, and Track side by side.

Then I thought of summer vacations, of beautiful beaches and the inevitability of sand still in my shoes after all these weeks. The Hourglass again seemed to fit into this sandy category, joining the beach, the desert, and the splashing playground.

The remaining buttons were "Bake," "Broil," and "Timer," which I immediately recognized as the buttons on an oven range; I hesitated, not sure if Light was part of this team, but I took the plunge. And like that perfectly timed soufflé, it did not fail.

The rest of the Britpop bands were like old friends at a reunion for me; Pulp, Oasis, Blur, and Suede were all musical icons of my teenage years in England. I even saw Oasis at Loch Lomond back in the day. It's too easy, game.

So the four categories come together nicely. Now, where did I put the Definitely Maybe cassette?

You'll be reading this much later in the day. According to Connections Companion, the difficulty level was 2.7 out of 5.

It's Valentine's Day and love is in the air. It just explains why I first thought of combining Kiss, Hug, and XO as a way to sign a message to my beloved.

But since I could not find a fourth expression of love to complete the set, I figured the matchmaking for the day had failed. Enough about red roses, I soon realized that kisses were red herrings and should be placed with the synonyms Graze, Brush, and Skim.

The yellow category was complete, and although I lost one life, it didn't take me long to find one that led to the blue category. Oyster, Soy, Plum, and Fruit were the first sauces I submitted; the rich umami of the XO sauce proved a more suitable substitute for the fruit.

Math was never my strong suit, but the mind has a unique and cruel knack for remembering certain parts of life that I tended to struggle with as a student. And with memories of a panicked math teacher repeating useless instructions, the words Prime, Odd, Perfect, and Whole finally brought light to my mind. He would be very proud.

The remaining words were Claw, Fruit, Hug, and Witness, which I finally figured out after a moment's pause, all followed by bear. The match ended with great success.