MEDIUMPuzzle #987

NYT Connections Hints & Answers (#987) – Today's Puzzle, Feb 22

TODAY'S NYT CONNECTIONS TIP

“Start by identifying ONE WHO DOESN'T FIT IN (BLACK SHEEP, MISFIT...) to narrow down the remaining 16-word grid!”

Written by Naveed Ahmed · Updated: February 22, 2026

← Yesterday's Connections Hint (#986, Feb 21)

Connections Hint for Each Word Today

Tap any word to see its Connections hint — what it means in today's puzzle, no spoilers.

BLACK SHEEP hint: In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "BLACK SHEEP" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

MISFIT hint: In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "MISFIT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

OUTCAST hint: In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "OUTCAST" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

REJECT hint: In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "REJECT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

DISTINGUISHED hint: In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "DISTINGUISHED" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

FLECKED hint: In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "FLECKED" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

SALT-AND-PEPPER hint: In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "SALT-AND-PEPPER" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

SILVER hint: In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "SILVER" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

BLONDIE hint: In the context of classic comic strips, "BLONDIE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

BLOOM COUNTY hint: In the context of classic comic strips, "BLOOM COUNTY" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

PEANUTS hint: In the context of classic comic strips, "PEANUTS" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

THE FAR SIDE hint: In the context of classic comic strips, "THE FAR SIDE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

BIG STICK hint: In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "BIG STICK" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

BULL MOOSE hint: In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "BULL MOOSE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

ROUGH RIDERS hint: In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "ROUGH RIDERS" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

TEDDY BEAR hint: In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "TEDDY BEAR" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

Hints uncovered0 / 16

Today's NYT Connections Hints for All Four Categories

Reveal progressively: see the category hint first, then the group name, then individual words — stop whenever you have enough.

🟡 Straightforward

🟢 Medium

🔵 Hard

🟣 Tricky

⚠️Traps & Misdirects Hints for Today’s Connections Puzzle

Today’s Connections puzzle includes words intentionally placed to misdirect you into wrong groups. These traps and misdirects hints reveal which words are designed to mislead, so you don’t burn your 4 allowed mistakes on deliberate decoys.

DISTINGUISHED, FLECKED, SALT-AND-PEPPER, SILVER

In today's medium category (DESCRIPTORS FOR GRAYING HAIR), pay close attention to subtle shifts in meaning. Words like DISTINGUISHED, FLECKED, SALT-AND-PEPPER, SILVER may appear to belong to other everyday contexts, but their true connection lies in their shared relationship to DESCRIPTORS FOR GRAYING HAIR.

BIG STICK, BULL MOOSE, ROUGH RIDERS, TEDDY BEAR

The trickiest grouping today is "ASSOCIATED WITH THEODORE ROOSEVELT". Words such as BIG STICK, BULL MOOSE, ROUGH RIDERS, TEDDY BEAR are designed as intentional misdirects. Look past their obvious surface meanings for hidden wordplay or secondary definitions.

BLONDIE, BLOOM COUNTY, PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE

Be careful with overlap between BLONDIE, BLOOM COUNTY, PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE and other categories on the board. The editor often places decoy pairings in "CLASSIC COMIC STRIPS" to trap unsuspecting players into using up their 4 allowed mistakes.

Today's NYT Connections Answers

Click to reveal the complete solution — all four categories.

Category: ONE WHO DOESN'T FIT IN (Straightforward) — Answers: BLACK SHEEP, MISFIT, OUTCAST, REJECT

Category: DESCRIPTORS FOR GRAYING HAIR (Medium) — Answers: DISTINGUISHED, FLECKED, SALT-AND-PEPPER, SILVER

Category: CLASSIC COMIC STRIPS (Hard) — Answers: BLONDIE, BLOOM COUNTY, PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE

Category: ASSOCIATED WITH THEODORE ROOSEVELT (Tricky) — Answers: BIG STICK, BULL MOOSE, ROUGH RIDERS, TEDDY BEAR

Today's NYT Connections Answers Explained

ONE WHO DOESN'T FIT IN

The words BLACK SHEEP, MISFIT, OUTCAST, REJECT all share a unique thematic connection as one who doesn't fit in.

BLACK SHEEP

In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "BLACK SHEEP" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

MISFIT

In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "MISFIT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

OUTCAST

In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "OUTCAST" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

REJECT

In the context of one who doesn't fit in, "REJECT" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

DESCRIPTORS FOR GRAYING HAIR

The words DISTINGUISHED, FLECKED, SALT-AND-PEPPER, SILVER all share a unique thematic connection as descriptors for graying hair.

DISTINGUISHED

In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "DISTINGUISHED" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

FLECKED

In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "FLECKED" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

SALT-AND-PEPPER

In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "SALT-AND-PEPPER" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

SILVER

In the context of descriptors for graying hair, "SILVER" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

CLASSIC COMIC STRIPS

The words BLONDIE, BLOOM COUNTY, PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE all share a unique thematic connection as classic comic strips.

BLONDIE

In the context of classic comic strips, "BLONDIE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

BLOOM COUNTY

In the context of classic comic strips, "BLOOM COUNTY" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

PEANUTS

In the context of classic comic strips, "PEANUTS" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

THE FAR SIDE

In the context of classic comic strips, "THE FAR SIDE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

ASSOCIATED WITH THEODORE ROOSEVELT

The words BIG STICK, BULL MOOSE, ROUGH RIDERS, TEDDY BEAR all share a unique thematic connection as associated with theodore roosevelt.

BIG STICK

In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "BIG STICK" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

BULL MOOSE

In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "BULL MOOSE" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

ROUGH RIDERS

In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "ROUGH RIDERS" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

TEDDY BEAR

In the context of associated with theodore roosevelt, "TEDDY BEAR" stands out as a clear, defining example within this group.

What Makes Today’s NYT Connections Puzzle Tricky?

DISTINGUISHED, FLECKED, SALT-AND-PEPPER, SILVER sit alongside BLONDIE, BLOOM COUNTY, PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE and phrases like BIG STICK, BULL MOOSE, ROUGH RIDERS, TEDDY BEAR — a collision of distinct word groups and subtle misdirects.

The editor's sharpest trick is hiding a word-within-a-word: some of the multi-word phrases are not grouped by their topic but by what their first word secretly means.

How to Use Connections Hints

Everyone playing NYT Connections puzzle gets stuck at a different point. Some players can’t figure out a single word. Others have three groups solved and can’t find the fourth. Where you are stuck determines which connection hint you need.

A word in the puzzle has an unfamiliar meaning

Some words in today’s NYT Connections puzzle are uncommon. Connections editor Wyna Liu often uses words with specific or less familiar meanings, particularly in the green, blue, and purple categories. If you don’t know what a word means, you cannot reliably place it in a group.

Recommendation: Use the Word Hint. It tells you what the word means in the context of today’s puzzle. Tap any word directly on the board above to see its hint.

No groups are forming after reading all sixteen words

The connection between words is often not obvious from their meanings alone — categories are built around themes that require a specific angle to see. These category-level clues are the most useful hints.

Recommendation: Use the Category Hint. It points you toward the theme of a category without revealing the category name or which words belong to it. Tap “Yellow Category Hint” first.

You have a possible group but aren’t ready to guess

You think four words belong together but you’re not confident enough to guess. If you’re unsure, don’t guess yet — a wrong guess costs you one of your four mistakes.

Recommendation: Use the Category Name. It reveals the exact name of the category without showing you which words belong to it.

One word seems to fit more than one group

You have built a group of four words but one word in it could also fit somewhere else. NYT Connections editor Wyna Liu deliberately places misleading words on the board.

Recommendation: Use the Traps and Misdirects Hints. It identifies the specific misleading words in today’s puzzle and explains why they don’t belong where you think they do.

You know the category but can’t find all four words

You have identified the theme of a category but can’t find all four words that belong to it.

Recommendation: Use the Word Reveal. It uncovers one masked word at a time without revealing the full group. This is the most precise connection hint available.

One mistake left with two groups unsolved

You have one mistake remaining and two groups unsolved. If you guess wrong here, the game ends and NYT reveals all the answers automatically.

Recommendation: Do not guess yet. Use the Category Name for both remaining groups first. If that is still not enough, tap “Category Words” and reveal one word at a time.

You want today’s answers without solving the puzzle

Use the Answers section. It shows all four category names and the four words that belong to each one.

Recommendation: Go to the Answers section.

The puzzle is over but a category still doesn’t make sense

You can see the four groups and their words but the connection between them isn’t clear.

Recommendation: Use the Answer Explanation. It tells you exactly what connects the words in each category and why each individual word belongs there.

Browse Past Puzzles

View answers and hints for every previous NYT Connections puzzle.

Puzzle Archive →

Frequently Asked Questions

NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle by The New York Times where you group 16 words into 4 categories of 4 words each. Each category has a hidden theme color-coded by difficulty.

Yellow is the most straightforward category, Green is medium difficulty, Blue is harder, and Purple contains the trickiest, most misleading groupings.

Yes, NYT Connections is free to play once per day on the New York Times Games website.

A new NYT Connections puzzle releases every day at midnight in your local time zone (12:00 AM ET for US Eastern Time).

Naveed Ahmed

@NaveedAhmedDev•@naveedcolab

Lead Writer & Connections Puzzle Analyst

Naveed is a dedicated puzzle strategist and word game analyst who breaks down daily NYT Connections categories, uncovers tricky wordplay patterns, and delivers progressive, spoiler-free clues to help thousands of players solve every puzzle.