NYT Connections #993 for Saturday, February 28, 2026, features groups about cravings, traveling jobs, name homophones, and astronomical terms with an extra letter. Hints appear before the complete spoiler-filled solution.
Looking for the NYT Connections answers for Saturday, February 28, 2026? Connections puzzle #993 centers on cravings, jobs that involve traveling, names that sound like ordinary words, and astronomical terms altered by one extra letter. The puzzle was rated 2.8 out of 5 for difficulty by advance testers, putting it around the moderate range.
Hints for Connections #993
Try these clues before scrolling to the solution:
- Yellow: A strong want, appetite, or longing.
- Green: Careers or jobs that take you from place to place.
- Blue: Words that sound like people’s names.
- Purple: Space-related words after an extra letter or altered ending is added.
For an even gentler nudge, one representative entry from each group is ITCH, PILOT, KNEEL, and SUNG.
Connections #993: the 16 words
The complete board is:
START · KNEEL · TAILOR · SALESMAN · COMETH · PILOT · EARNEST · ITCH · DESIRE · ROADIE · RUSTLE · SUNG · NOVAK · THIRST · CRUISE DIRECTOR · URGE
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Today’s NYT Connections answers for Feb. 28
Yellow: CRAVING
DESIRE · ITCH · THIRST · URGE
Each word can describe a powerful want or longing. “Itch” and “thirst” can be literal, but here they work as figurative expressions for wanting something—for example, an itch to travel or a thirst for knowledge.
Green: JOBS THAT INVOLVE TRAVELING
CRUISE DIRECTOR · PILOT · ROADIE · SALESMAN
These are roles commonly associated with moving between locations. A cruise director travels aboard a ship, a pilot flies routes, a roadie travels with a touring production, and a salesman may travel to meet customers.
Blue: NAME HOMOPHONES
EARNEST · KNEEL · RUSTLE · TAILOR
The trick is to hear each word as a personal name:
- EARNEST sounds like Ernest.
- KNEEL sounds like Neal or Neil.
- RUSTLE sounds like Russell.
- TAILOR sounds like Taylor.
Because the entries are spelled as everyday words rather than names, this group is easy to overlook until the sound-based connection becomes clear.
Purple: ASTRONOMICAL TERMS PLUS A LETTER
COMETH · NOVAK · START · SUNG
Remove the final extra letter from each entry and it becomes a space-related term:
- COMETH → COMET
- NOVAK → NOVA
- START → STAR
- SUNG → SUN
This is the most wordplay-heavy category in the grid. The entries do not all look astronomical until the extra ending letter is removed.
Why this puzzle can feel tricky
The yellow group uses familiar expressions for wanting something, but several of those words can also suggest physical sensations. The green group is broad enough that “pilot” and “roadie” may initially seem unrelated. The blue group depends entirely on pronunciation, while the purple group asks you to modify every word in the same way.
That combination creates the kind of overlap Connections is designed around: plausible words can appear to fit more than one idea, but only one arrangement uses all 16 entries exactly once.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When does the next Connections puzzle appear?
Connections releases at midnight in a player’s local time zone. The New York Times maintains companion pages to account for time-zone differences, so the date shown to you may depend on where you play. This article refers specifically to Saturday, February 28, 2026, puzzle #993, not an older February 28 puzzle from another year.
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Want more puzzles?
After finishing today’s grid, a New York Times Connections puzzle book offers additional category-matching puzzles in a screen-free format. Check the current edition and retailer details before buying; this article does not claim that the print book includes puzzle #993.
Come back for the next set of Connections hints and answers, or use the clues above to revisit the groups without immediately looking at the full solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the NYT Connections answers for February 28, 2026?
The four groups are CRAVING; JOBS THAT INVOLVE TRAVELING; NAME HOMOPHONES; and ASTRONOMICAL TERMS PLUS A LETTER.
Which Connections puzzle is this answer guide for?
The puzzle is #993. It is specifically the Saturday, February 28, 2026, grid; Connections dates can vary by a player’s local time zone.
The Bottom Line
Connections #993, for February 28, 2026, groups its words into CRAVING, JOBS THAT INVOLVE TRAVELING, NAME HOMOPHONES, and ASTRONOMICAL TERMS PLUS A LETTER.
Quick Recap
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