NYT Connections February 21 2026 Answers
Puzzle #986
EDITED BY WYNA LIUToday's 16-word board, in its starting order:
LATE GREAT PAST LIFE PRESENT MINION INFINITIVE PERFECT SOLID DODGERS EXCUSED BACKGROUND ABSENT AUDITS HISTORY PHEW
Category hints (no spoilers)
Yellow — EXPERIENCE
Green — ATTENDANCE STATUS
Blue — COMMENTARY ABOUT YOUR CONNECTIONS RESULTS
Purple — CAR BRANDS PLUS TWO LETTERS
EXPERIENCEBACKGROUND, HISTORY, LIFE, PAST
ATTENDANCE STATUSABSENT, EXCUSED, LATE, PRESENT
COMMENTARY ABOUT YOUR CONNECTIONS RESULTSGREAT, PERFECT, PHEW, SOLID
CAR BRANDS PLUS TWO LETTERSAUDITS, DODGERS, INFINITIVE, MINION
Checked against the official NYT Connections solution
How Connections works
Connections gives you 16 words that form four secret groups of four. Find each group — yellow is the easiest, then green, blue, and the famously tricky purple. You're allowed four mistakes. A new puzzle drops daily at midnight; play free at nytimes.com.