This page covers NYT Connections puzzle #994, dated Sunday, March 1, 2026—not the current daily puzzle. Start with the hints and stop before the answer section if you want to solve it yourself. The answer key below is reported by WePC’s March 1 guide; the New York Times Help Center source cited here explains the game but does not confirm this puzzle’s specific solution.
Progressive hints for Connections #994
Reveal one clue at a time. Each example is a tile from its group.
- Yellow: Small snacks. Example: CANAPÉ.
- Green: Tools and gear used on job sites. Example: HARD HAT.
- Blue: Symbols of traveling for fun. Example: AIRPLANE.
- Purple: Phrases that look like food but are not edible. Example: COPYPASTA.
Spoiler warning: the answers
The following groups and tiles are reported by WePC’s March 1, 2026 answer guide. The NYT Help Center’s general game information does not independently verify this answer set.
| Color | Category | Four tiles |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Little bite | CANAPÉ, FINGER FOOD, HORS D’OEUVRE, TAPA |
| Green | Construction equipment | HARD HAT, LADDER, NAIL GUN, TOOL BELT |
| Blue | Vacation emoji | AIRPLANE, LUGGAGE, PALM TREE, SMILING FACE WITH SUNGLASSES |
| Purple | Things you don’t eat that end in foods | COPYPASTA, JOHANNESBURGER, KNUCKLE SANDWICH, LICORICE PIZZA |
How Connections works
The New York Times Help Center describes Connections as “a word game that challenges players to find themes between words.” Each puzzle presents 16 words to sort into four groups of four. Categories are color-coded: yellow is the easiest and purple the trickiest. The game’s official help page notes that words may seem to fit more than one category, even though each puzzle has exactly one solution. In #994, the purple group relies on food-like phrases that are not edible.
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Playing the daily game or revisiting #994
The Help Center says Connections is free to play without registration or sign-in, and that a new daily puzzle releases at midnight in the player’s timezone. It lists the Games app, NYTimes.com/games/connections, NYTimes.com/theathletic, and the News app as places to play. For a puzzle that has already run, the Help Center says the Connections archive is available to All Access and Games subscribers, with puzzles dating back to June 12, 2023. Archive play affects certain stats but not streaks. Connections Bot, which provides personalized stats, is listed for All Access, Home Delivery, and Games subscribers. Access details can change; see the NYT Help Center for current terms.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
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