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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →NYT Connections puzzle #985 is dated Friday, February 20, 2026. Try the progressive hints below before opening the four category answers and complete word groups.
Hints for Connections #985
Use these nudges in order, stopping when you have enough to solve the board.
- Broad hint: No hard work required.
- Next hint: Not the sun, but…
- Another nudge: There’s also a dog and a car.
- Final nudge: Be nimble.
These incremental clues are reported by Parade; they are not presented as an official NYT hint sequence.
Category clues
- Yellow: An immediate solution.
- Green: Lunar links.
- Blue: Property-trading game pieces.
- Purple: Connected to a name that rhymes with “back.”
These category-level clues are reported by TechRadar.
Connections #985 answers for February 20
The four reported categories and their words are:
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The answer groups are reported consistently by Parade, TechRadar, and ComingSoon. The purple connection uses “jack” in four different senses: cheese, a donkey, a playing card, and a socket.
All 16 words on the board
MAGIC WAND, ECLIPSE, TOP HAT, DONKEY, TIDE, PLAYING CARD, WEREWOLF, BOOT, SILVER BULLET, IRON, CHEESE, GREEN CHEESE, SOCKET, PANACEA, THIMBLE, EASY ANSWER.
Rank #2
Why “today” can mean a different puzzle
TechRadar describes the daily puzzle as appearing at midnight for each time zone. As a result, readers in different locations may encounter different dates under a “today” label. Referring to the dated puzzle—Friday, February 20, 2026, #985—makes this answer page unambiguous.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the puzzle works
ComingSoon describes Connections as a 16-word puzzle in which players sort the words into four groups of four, with four guesses to categorize them. The category clues above offer a way to approach this board before viewing the full answer table.
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