Spoiler warning: This guide starts with gentle clues and ends with the complete solution for NYT Connections on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The puzzle is identified by dated answer guides as #990.
Hints for Connections #990
Use these clues in order. Stop whenever you have enough information to finish the grid yourself.
Yellow hint
Think of an action that looks after, supports or raises someone. One representative tile is BABY.
Green hint
Look for words meaning foundational, basic or fundamental. A representative tile is KEY.
#1 Best Overall
Blue hint
These tiles are people whose first name is James. One representative tile is COOK.
Purple hint
Each tile ends with a shorter word associated with family. A representative tile is DECLAN.
Rank #2
Answers for NYT Connections #990
The 16-tile grid separates into four groups of four:
| Group | Connection | Tiles |
|---|---|---|
| CARE FOR | Actions or roles involving looking after someone | BABY, FOSTER, MOTHER, NURSE |
| ELEMENTARY | Words meaning basic, fundamental or essential | BASIC, KEY, PRIMARY, PRINCIPAL |
| JAMESES | People named James | BROWN, COOK, DEAN, HARDEN |
| ENDING IN FAMILY WORDS | Words ending with a family-related word | ALKALINE, DECLAN, DIATRIBE, NAPKIN |
Why the purple group works
The final category is built from the ends of the words rather than their overall meanings. ALKALINE ends in LINE, DECLAN ends in CLAN, DIATRIBE ends in TRIBE, and NAPKIN ends in KIN. LINE, CLAN, TRIBE and KIN can each describe a family or kinship group.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Complete word list
For reference, the board contains:
- NAPKIN
- COOK
- BABY
- PRINCIPAL
- DEAN
- NURSE
- KEY
- MOTHER
- BASIC
- ALKALINE
- HARDEN
- FOSTER
- DIATRIBE
- PRIMARY
- BROWN
- DECLAN
How Connections works
Connections presents 16 words, phrases, symbols or numbers. Your task is to sort them into four groups of four. A fourth incorrect guess ends the game, so it is worth checking that every tile fits one category before submitting.
The usual color labels run from yellow (easiest) through green and blue to purple (hardest), but that order is only a general tendency. A puzzle can make any category deceptively difficult, especially when a word appears to fit more than one group.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.About the puzzle number
Three dated solution guides identify February 25, 2026, as Connections #990. One date-specific archive labels the same date as #1076, which conflicts with those guides and should be treated as an archive-number error or unresolved discrepancy rather than the issue number used here.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Recommended Free Tools
