NYT Connections Hint & Answer for February 21, 2026

Was today's puzzle a "Phew" or a "Perfect" for you? Wyna Liu definitely brought some clever wordplay to the table this morning. If you're finding yourself stuck on the final few tiles, don't worry—we've all been there.

The NYT Connections hint for today is to look closely at the words that usually appear after you finish your daily game, and keep an eye out for hidden names tucked inside longer words.

Here is the breakdown of the categories and the answer for 2026-02-21.

Hints for Today's Categories

If you want to solve the puzzle without seeing the full answers just yet, here are some nudges in the right direction:

• Yellow Group Hint: Think about a person's resume or their chronological story.
• Green Group Hint: These are words you might hear a teacher say while taking roll call in a classroom.
• Blue Group Hint: Look at the screen right after you solve a category in this very game!
• Purple Group Hint: Each of these words contains a popular automobile manufacturer, plus two extra letters.

Yellow: EXPERIENCE

This group is relatively straightforward. These words all refer to a person's previous life events or their professional track record.

• BACKGROUND
• HISTORY
• LIFE
• PAST

Green: ATTENDANCE STATUS

These terms are standard descriptors for whether or not someone is present for a scheduled event, like school or work.

• ABSENT
• EXCUSED
• LATE
• PRESENT

Blue: COMMENTARY ABOUT YOUR CONNECTIONS RESULTS

This is a meta-category! If you pay attention to the pop-up messages that appear after you successfully identify a group in the Connections game, you’ll recognize these words immediately.

• GREAT
• PERFECT
• PHEW
• SOLID

Purple: CAR BRANDS PLUS TWO LETTERS

This was the "tricky" category for the day. Each word is a common English word or proper noun that starts with a car brand and ends with exactly two letters.

• AUDITS (AUDI + TS)
• DODGERS (DODGE + RS)
• INFINITIVE (INFINITI + VE)
• MINION (MINI + ON)

Summary of the Answer for 2026-02-21

If you just want the quick list to check your work, here is the final solution:

1. EXPERIENCE: BACKGROUND, HISTORY, LIFE, PAST
2. ATTENDANCE STATUS: ABSENT, EXCUSED, LATE, PRESENT
3. COMMENTARY ABOUT YOUR CONNECTIONS RESULTS: GREAT, PERFECT, PHEW, SOLID
4. CAR BRANDS PLUS TWO LETTERS: AUDITS, DODGERS, INFINITIVE, MINION

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do you play NYT Connections?

The game presents you with 16 words. Your goal is to organize them into four groups of four by finding a common thread between them. Select four words and tap "Submit." Each group is color-coded by difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (trickiest).

When does NYT Connections reset?

A new puzzle is released every night at midnight in your local time zone. This makes it the perfect accompaniment to your morning coffee or a late-night brain teaser.

Can you have more than one correct answer?

While some words might seem like they fit into multiple categories, there is only one unique solution where every single word fits into a group of four. If you're stuck, try moving a "crossover" word to a different potential category.

Who is the editor of NYT Connections?

The game is currently edited by Wyna Liu, who is known for her creative and often humorous approach to word associations and wordplay.