Looking for today's Connections answer for puzzle #247 of February 13 is easier than yesterday's and the difficulty level for this puzzle on Connections Companion is 2.7 out of 5.

We update our Connections clues and hints daily. And if the hints aren't enough, you can see all four answers along with the category title and related words. In addition, for those of you reading this in another time zone, I've included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle, #246.

There are spoilers for connection 247. 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 just want the answer, scroll down further.

Now for a bigger clue: Today's puzzle may feel like you're on a culinary whirlwind or shopping spree. Don't let the seemingly delicious or mundane scents fool you.

Now, what is the answer to today's 247th connection?

Drum roll, please.

Today's Connection puzzle should not be tackled on an empty stomach. Bananas, eggs, meatballs, mozzarella cheese ...... It's as if you're in a grocery store, stocking up.

And for that matter, one category seemed like it might be exactly that. Dairy, frozen foods, fish, and produce could all be aisles of our local stores. I duly submitted my choice and there was one more to go. Hmmm, let's clear out aisle 3.

As I often do, I parked that line of thought in hopes of finding results elsewhere, and I was encouraged enough when I found one that connected Spur, Urge, and Goad. The eggs earlier were not to be eaten, but to form a common phrase with the word "on." The yellow category is now complete.

I looked again at Fish and Mozzarella and wondered if food sticks could be a theme, but decided that banana and dairy sticks had no place in a sane society, I told myself. And that's exactly what I did, linking the word GO not only to Figure but also to Bananas, Fish, and the tricky purple category Steady.

Having repositioned Fish elsewhere, we now returned to the grocery store theme, this time placing Snacks alongside Dairy, Frozen Foods, and Produce for the final correct combination.

Mozzarella, oranges, jawbreakers, and meatballs remained. Of course, to end today's game with only one incorrect answer, I listed the spherical foods. As a reward to myself, I suppose I deserve a snack.

I'm reading this late in the day. According to Connections Companion, the difficulty level was 4.1 out of 5.

I must have had Disney on the brain because Nemo was among yesterday's Connections answers, and I immediately connected Monkey, Parrot, Jeannie, and Candle, and thought of talking animals and objects from Disney movies. It was an incorrect answer, but since I had one more to go, I didn't mind so much.

Thinking that I might have to polish up on some Disney classics in particular, I ruled out Candles (Beauty and the Beast) and opted for Princesses (Aladdin) to complete the blue category.

Following Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas last night, the first thing I thought of when I heard of the referees (judges) was the stylish black and white striped shirts they are famous for wearing. Soon I found mimes, prisoners, and sailors to complete the set of stripes.

Considering how many Zoom and Teams calls I am involved in each week, I was a little surprised that it took me this long to find this third theme: drops, echoes, freezes, and lags are all undesirable aspects of video calls, the yellow category today

Apollo, the "yellow" category, is a good example of this.

Apollo, Candle, Fantastic, and Samurai remained, with the latter two (Fantastic Four and Seven Samurai) evoking a connection in my brain and joining Candle with Apollo 13 and 16. And that's it.