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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallNeed a nudge before the answers? For the standard NYT Connections puzzle #982, released Tuesday, February 17, 2026, think speed, Chinese sauces, quickly browsing pages, and words that begin with synonyms for “dud.” The full groups and all 16 tiles are below the spoiler break.
Hints for Connections #982
- Yellow: Think of words that mean moving fast.
- Green: Think of sauces used in Chinese cuisine.
- Blue: Think of ways to riffle through pages quickly.
- Purple: Each word starts with a synonym for “dud.”
The New York Times describes Connections as a game in which players find four groups of four words sharing a common link. Each puzzle has one solution, and words may appear to fit more than one category, as the decoy set here illustrates. Read the NYT Help Center’s Connections guide.
Answers for February 17, 2026
Spoiler warning: The complete answer key follows.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Zoom | DART, FLASH, SPEED, ZIP |
| Green | Sauces in Chinese cuisine | HOISIN, OYSTER, PLUM, SOY |
| Blue | Riffle (through) | FLIP, LEAF, SKIM, THUMB |
| Purple | Starting with synonyms for “dud” | BOMBAY, BUSTLE, FLOPPY, MISSUS |
The sixteen tiles are PLUM, LEAF, FLASH, BUSTLE, THUMB, OYSTER, FLOPPY, ZIP, SKIM, SOY, DART, BOMBAY, SPEED, FLIP, HOISIN, and MISSUS.
Why the purple group is tricky
The purple words begin with terms meaning a dud: BOMB in BOMBAY, BUST in BUSTLE, FLOP in FLOPPY, and MISS in MISSUS. The full words are the tiles; the shared clue is at their starts.
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FLASH, THUMB, FLOPPY, and ZIP can suggest computer storage, but they are not a valid group in this puzzle. FLASH and ZIP belong to the speed group; THUMB belongs with ways to riffle through pages; FLOPPY belongs in purple.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the daily puzzle works
The NYT Help Center says Yellow is the easiest category and Purple the trickiest. The puzzle releases at midnight in a player’s timezone and is available through the Games app, the Connections website, nytimes.com/theathletic, and the News app. The full archive is available to All Access and Games subscribers as far back as June 12, 2023. Archived plays affect statistics but not streaks, and a completed archived puzzle cannot be replayed. See the official Connections help page.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
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