Need a nudge before seeing the solution? These progressive hints are for NYT Connections puzzle #988, dated Monday, February 23, 2026. Stop after any clue to keep more of the puzzle intact; the complete groups appear below the spoiler warning.
Progressive hints for Connections #988
Try each clue in order. The first points to the broad idea; later clues get closer to the category.
- Chow down.
- Dunce cap-shaped.
- Fake it, maybe.
- Smooch site.
Answers for Monday, February 23
Spoilers: The four category names and all sixteen words are below.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Eat voraciously | BOLT, GORGE, INHALE, SCARF |
| Green | Conical things | CHRISTMAS TREE, CONE, PARTY HAT, VOLCANO |
| Blue | Pose | BLUFF, FRONT, MASQUERADE, POSTURE |
| Purple | Settings for a kiss | BLARNEY STONE, MISTLETOE, NEW YEAR’S EVE, WEDDING |
Why the words fit
Yellow: Eat voraciously
BOLT, GORGE, INHALE, and SCARF can each describe eating quickly or eagerly.
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Green: Conical things
CHRISTMAS TREE, CONE, PARTY HAT, and VOLCANO share a cone-like shape. The party hat may be the less immediate match, but its form connects it to the group.
Blue: Pose
BLUFF, FRONT, MASQUERADE, and POSTURE can refer to putting on a façade or pretending.
Rank #2
Purple: Settings for a kiss
BLARNEY STONE, MISTLETOE, NEW YEAR’S EVE, and WEDDING are associated with kissing. The Blarney Stone is traditionally kissed in connection with the gift of eloquence.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Connections works
Connections presents sixteen terms and asks players to sort them into four groups of four that share a category. The groups are marked yellow, green, blue, and purple, representing increasing difficulty. This guide identifies the puzzle by its explicit date and number: #988.
The date matters if you are searching for “today’s” puzzle: TechRadar notes that a new Connections puzzle appears at midnight in each time zone, so the local meaning of “today” can differ. Parade and TechRadar report the same four groups for this dated puzzle; Forbes also explains the first three categories. The official archive wording for this specific puzzle was not available in the cited coverage.
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