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Need a nudge before the full reveal? The February 20, 2026 Connections puzzle (#985) has four groups built around a quick solution, lunar associations, original Monopoly tokens, and meanings of “Jack.” Start with the hints below; the answer section contains spoilers.
Hints for Connections #985
Connections asks you to sort 16 tiles into four groups of four based on a shared connection. You can make up to four mistakes. These clues move from broad to more revealing without giving away the category names:
- An immediate solution.
- Lunar links.
- Pieces from a property-trading game.
- Think of something that rhymes with “back.”
The puzzle date is Friday, February 20, 2026. A new puzzle appears at midnight in each time zone, so the date described as “today” can differ by location. TechRadar’s guide to this puzzle was published February 19, 2026.
Answers for Friday, February 20
Spoilers below: the category names and all 16 tiles are revealed.
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Yellow — QUICK FIX
EASY ANSWER, MAGIC WAND, PANACEA, SILVER BULLET
Green — ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOON
ECLIPSE, GREEN CHEESE, TIDE, WEREWOLF
Blue — ORIGINAL MONOPOLY TOKENS
BOOT, IRON, THIMBLE, TOP HAT
Purple — WHAT “JACK” MIGHT REFER TO
CHEESE, DONKEY, PLAYING CARD, SOCKET
Why the groups fit
Quick fixes
An EASY ANSWER, MAGIC WAND, PANACEA, or SILVER BULLET can each suggest an immediate or seemingly all-purpose solution.
Moon associations
ECLIPSE, TIDE, and WEREWOLF have familiar links to the moon. The full tile GREEN CHEESE belongs here; it is not the same tile as CHEESE.
Rank #2
Original Monopoly tokens
BOOT, IRON, THIMBLE, and TOP HAT are among the original Monopoly playing pieces.
Meanings of “Jack”
CHEESE (a jack cheese), DONKEY (a jackass), PLAYING CARD (a jack), and SOCKET (a jack socket) each connect to “Jack” in a different way.
Rank #3
Where to play
TechRadar says Connections is playable through NYT Games on desktop or mobile. Current access terms may vary; check NYT Games for the latest details. The puzzle’s Monopoly connection is only a category reference, not a requirement to play.
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