NYT Connections No. 983 for Wednesday, February 18, 2026 leans into throwback language and nostalgic styling, with one set that can feel deceptively modern until you notice how it’s being used. If you’re playing on the official New York Times Connections page , today’s board rewards players who pay attention to whether a word is functioning as a verb, slang label, descriptor, or a blank-filler in a common phrase.
How to Play NYT Connections
NYT Connections challenges players to sort 16 words into four groups of four based on a shared theme. The goal is to identify the hidden relationships between words and correctly categorize them before running out of mistakes.
Step 1: Study the 16-word grid carefully. Look for obvious patterns first, such as synonyms, common phrases, or shared categories like food, actions, or slang.
Step 2: Select four words you believe belong together. Once selected, submit your guess to see if the grouping is correct.
Step 3: If the group is correct, those four words lock into place and are color-coded. The remaining words will stay on the board for you to sort.
Step 4: If the group is incorrect, you lose one of your allowed attempts. You typically have four mistakes available before the game ends.
Difficulty Levels: Each correct group is assigned a color that reflects difficulty:
🟨 Yellow – Usually the most straightforward category.
🟩 Green – Slightly more challenging connections.
🟦 Blue – Requires sharper pattern recognition.
🟪 Purple – Often the trickiest, involving wordplay or subtle themes.
The puzzle resets daily, so even if today’s board proves tricky, you can return tomorrow for a fresh challenge.
Today’s grid is a fun mix of retro actions, era-specific approval slang, chicken-related descriptors, and a classic fill-in-the-blank phrase set. If you feel like multiple groups could fit, slow down and ask: is this word being used as an action, a label, or a phrase component?
Today’s Connections Hints
Yellow: Retro hair directives.
Green: Retro slang for cool.
Blue: Chicken descriptors.
Purple: ____ cream.
Stronger Hint – One Word from Each Group
Yellow example: CRIMP
Green example: RAD
Blue example: LEGHORN
Purple example: SOUR
Practice Connections
Select four words that belong together, then hit Submit. Correct sets lock in with color.
Today’s Connections Answers — Click to Reveal
Yellow – Retro hair directives: CRIMP, CURL, FEATHER, TEASE
Green – Retro slang for cool: BAD, FLY, RAD, WICKED
Blue – Chicken descriptors: BANTAM, CRESTED, FREE-RANGE, LEGHORN
Purple – ____ cream: HEAVY, SHAVING, SOUR, TOPICAL
