Sarah stared at her phone screen Tuesday morning, her coffee growing cold as she wrestled with that familiar frustration. The New York Times Connections puzzle was taunting her again – sixteen seemingly random words scattered across her screen like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that refused to fit together. She’d been on a three-day winning streak, and today’s puzzle looked determined to break it.
Sound familiar? You’re definitely not alone in this daily battle of wits. Thousands of puzzle enthusiasts face the same challenge every morning, searching for those elusive connections that tie four words together in perfect harmony. The February 18 Connections puzzle has arrived with its own unique blend of tricky wordplay and clever misdirection.
Whether you’re a seasoned solver or someone who just discovered this addictive word game, we’ve got the connections help hints you need to tackle today’s challenge with confidence.
What Makes Today’s Connections Puzzle Special
The February 18, 2026 (#983) edition of NYT Connections presents players with a particularly crafty selection of words that showcase the game’s signature ability to hide obvious connections in plain sight. Created by Wyna Liu, this daily puzzle has become a morning ritual for word game enthusiasts worldwide.
Today’s puzzle includes these sixteen words: SHAVING, FLY, FREE-RANGE, BANTAM, SOUR, BAD, WICKED, HEAVY, TOPICAL, CRESTED, CRIMP, RAD, FEATHER, CURL, LEGHORN, and TEASE. At first glance, they might seem completely unrelated, but each word belongs to one of four distinct categories.
“The beauty of Connections lies in how it challenges players to think beyond surface meanings,” explains puzzle expert Dr. Jennifer Martinez. “Words that seem obvious might be red herrings, while the real connections often require lateral thinking.”
The game follows a simple but challenging format: sort all sixteen words into four groups of four, with only four incorrect guesses allowed before the puzzle ends. The difficulty increases with each category, color-coded from yellow (easiest) to purple (most challenging).
Your Complete Guide to Today’s Connections Help Hints
Let’s break down each category with helpful hints that won’t give away the answers completely. Remember, the goal is to guide you toward the solution while preserving that satisfying “aha!” moment when everything clicks.
Yellow Group – Hair Styling Techniques:
This category focuses on things you might do at a salon or while getting ready in the morning. Think about different ways to manipulate or style hair. The connection involves actions that create texture, volume, or specific looks.
Green Group – Slang Terms:
These words share a common thread in casual language, particularly older slang expressions. They’re all ways to describe something as cool, awesome, or excellent. Some might sound more dated than others, but they all served the same purpose in their heyday.
Blue Group – Chicken Varieties:
This group brings together different types or breeds of chickens. Some names might be more familiar than others, but they’re all legitimate varieties you might find on a farm or in agricultural contexts.
Purple Group – Words That Pair:
The trickiest category involves words that commonly appear before or after the same specific word. This connection requires thinking about common phrases, compound words, or frequent word combinations in English.
| Difficulty Level | Color | Theme | Strategy Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easiest | Yellow | Hair Styling | Think salon services |
| Medium | Green | Old Slang | Consider dated cool terms |
| Harder | Blue | Chicken Types | Focus on breed names |
| Hardest | Purple | Shared Pairings | Look for common word partners |
Strategies That Actually Work for Connections Success
Veteran players have developed specific approaches that significantly improve success rates. The key lies in systematic thinking rather than random guessing.
Start by scanning for the most obvious connections first. Hair-related terms often jump out quickly, as do food items or geographical locations. “I always look for concrete categories before abstract ones,” shares longtime player Michael Chen. “It’s easier to spot ‘things you find in a kitchen’ than ‘words that describe emotions.'”
Pay attention to word forms and parts of speech. Sometimes the puzzle groups together all nouns, all verbs, or all adjectives. Other times, it might mix different word types that share a thematic connection.
Consider multiple meanings for each word. A word like “FLY” could relate to insects, aviation, fishing, or even fashion (as in “on the fly”). The correct connection might use a less common definition.
Here are proven tactics for connections help hints:
- Identify the yellow group first – it’s usually the most straightforward
- Look for compound word possibilities in the purple category
- Consider both literal and figurative meanings
- Group words by grammatical function when themes aren’t obvious
- Use the “one away” hint strategically – it means you have three correct words
Why Connections Has Become Everyone’s Favorite Brain Exercise
The puzzle’s popularity stems from its perfect balance of accessibility and challenge. Unlike crosswords that require extensive vocabulary knowledge or Sudoku that demands number skills, Connections relies on pattern recognition and lateral thinking that anyone can develop.
“What I love about Connections is how it makes me see familiar words in new ways,” explains cognitive researcher Dr. Amanda Torres. “It’s like a daily workout for your brain’s ability to make unexpected associations.”
The social aspect adds another layer of enjoyment. Players share their results using colored emoji squares, creating a visual representation of their solving journey without spoiling the puzzle for others. This sharing format has made Connections a social media phenomenon.
The game also offers that perfect difficulty sweet spot – challenging enough to feel accomplished when solved, but not so difficult that casual players feel defeated. The four-mistake limit creates just enough pressure to make each guess feel meaningful.
Players often discover that their background knowledge influences which categories they spot first. Musicians might immediately recognize instrument-related groups, while cooking enthusiasts quickly identify food categories. This personal element makes each puzzle experience unique.
FAQs
How many guesses do I get in Connections?
You get exactly four incorrect guesses before the puzzle ends, so choose your groups carefully.
What does “one away” mean in Connections?
This hint appears when you’ve selected three correct words plus one incorrect word for a group, letting you know you’re very close.
Are there always four difficulty levels in Connections?
Yes, every puzzle has four groups color-coded from yellow (easiest) to purple (hardest), with green and blue as intermediate levels.
Can I play previous day’s Connections puzzles?
No, Connections only offers the current day’s puzzle, making it a true daily challenge that everyone tackles together.
What happens if I can’t solve today’s Connections puzzle?
The puzzle reveals all correct answers after you’ve used your four guesses, so you can still learn from the experience.
Do Connections puzzles get harder throughout the week?
No, each day’s puzzle maintains roughly the same difficulty level, though some themes might feel more challenging depending on your knowledge areas.
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