NYT Connections Hints Today, February 20, 2026: Clues To Boost Your Win Streak

NYT Connections For Today, February 20, 2026: Every day The New York Times releases a new Connections puzzle with 16 words that need to be grouped into four categories of increasing difficulty. Today’s edition for February 20, 2026 (puzzle #985) challenges solvers to spot patterns that range from quick problem-solving expressions to classic board games. Whether you’re maintaining a winning streak or trying NYT Connections for the first time, these hints and answers will help you throughout the word game:

Today's NYT Connections For February 20, 2026, Word List

Here are the 16 words you’ll see in the NYT Connections grid today:

• EASY ANSWER

• MAGIC WAND

• PANACEA

• SILVER BULLET

• ECLIPSE

• GREEN CHEESE

• TIDE

• WEREWOLF

• BOOT

• IRON

• THIMBLE

• TOP HAT

• CHEESE

• DONKEY

• PLAYING CARD

• SOCKET

Today's NYT Connections Hints For February 20, 2026

• Yellow Group: Quick fix 

• Green Group: Lunar themes 

• Blue Group: Board game items 

• Purple Group: Multiple meanings tied to the word ‘Jack’ 

Today's NYT Connections Categories For February 20, 2026

• Yellow Group: Terms that refer to quick or easy solutions.

• Green Group: Words associated with the moon or nature.

• Blue Group: Original classic game pieces from an iconic board game.

• Purple Group: Things the word ‘Jack’ can represent in different contexts. 

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Today's NYT Connections For February 20, 2026, Answers

Here are the correct groupings for puzzle #985:

• Yellow Group: EASY ANSWER, SILVER BULLET, MAGIC WAND, PANACEA

• Green Group: ECLIPSE, WEREWOLF, GREEN CHEESE, TIDE

• Blue Group: IRON, THIMBLE, BOOT, TOP HAT

• Purple Group: PLAYING CARD, SOCKET, CHEESE, DONKEY

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Tips To Solve NYT Connections For February 20, 2026 Faster

• Start with the yellow group - the easy one to begin the game.

• Words might connect through meanings, phrases, or anything more. 

• Purple groups often rely on synonyms or different phrases.

• Removing confirmed groups helps make the remaining connections clearer.

Happy puzzling !!

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Image credit: New York Times and Freepik