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Spoiler warning: The hints below start gently, but the full group answers and all 16 words appear farther down. This guide is for the Sunday, February 22, 2026 puzzle, game #987.
Hints for Connections on February 22
Try these clues before checking the categories or solution:
- One group is about people who are treated as outsiders.
- Another describes hair as it turns gray.
- Look for a set of familiar newspaper comic strips.
- The final group points to the 26th president of the United States.
All 16 words on the board
OUTCAST; SALT-AND-PEPPER; BLONDIE; TEDDY BEAR; DISTINGUISHED; BLACK SHEEP; ROUGH RIDERS; THE FAR SIDE; BULL MOOSE; BLOOM COUNTY; SILVER; PEANUTS; MISFIT; FLECKED; REJECT; BIG STICK.
Connections answers for February 22, 2026
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | ONE WHO DOESN’T FIT IN | BLACK SHEEP, MISFIT, OUTCAST, REJECT |
| Green | DESCRIPTORS FOR GRAYING HAIR | DISTINGUISHED, FLECKED, SALT-AND-PEPPER, SILVER |
| Blue | CLASSIC COMIC STRIPS | BLONDIE, BLOOM COUNTY, PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE |
| Purple | ASSOCIATED WITH THEODORE ROOSEVELT | BIG STICK, BULL MOOSE, ROUGH RIDERS, TEDDY BEAR |
Where to play Connections and find older puzzles
The New York Times says its daily Connections puzzle releases at midnight in each player’s timezone. That means “today” can refer to a different puzzle depending on where you are, so the date and game number identify this solution more precisely.
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Connections is a word game about finding themes among words. You can play through the Games app, the Connections page on nytimes.com, nytimes.com/theathletic, or the News app. The official archive reaches back to June 12, 2023, and access to archived puzzles is available to All Access and Games subscribers. See the NYT Help Center’s Connections information for details.
The answer guide for game #987 was published by TechRadar on February 21, 2026.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
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