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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsNeed a nudge for NYT Connections puzzle #984? Here are the four category hints first, followed by the category names and complete tile sets. Stop before the answer key if you want to keep the solve spoiler-free.
Hints for Connections #984
The puzzle is dated Thursday, February 19, 2026. Try these indirect clues before revealing the groups:
- Yellow: Bunny business
- Green: Stoke the flames
- Blue: As seen in a classic dance movie
- Purple: Sounds like cookery
The 16 tiles are PEEPS, POKER, DISCO, STU, SHOVEL, BRAYS, BASKET, BELLOWS, BOYLE, JOHN TRAVOLTA, TONGS, DYE, PLATFORM SHOES, EGGS, SEER, and POLYESTER SUIT.
Connections #984 category answers
Yellow — EASTER SUPPLIES
Green — FIREPLACE ACCESSORIES
Blue — ELEMENTS OF “SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER”
Purple — HOMOPHONES OF WAYS TO COOK SOMETHING
Full Connections #984 answer key
Yellow — EASTER SUPPLIES: BASKET, DYE, EGGS, PEEPS.
#1 Best Overall
- The game where _______ minds think alike!
- Prepare yourself for Blank Slate, a game of addicting predictions! How well can you put your finger on what everyone's thinking?
- Pick a Word Cue card, write the word you think best completes the phrase, and try to match it to anther player's word without giving a single hint
- Easy to learn, quick to play, and fun for the whole family; just grab a slate, write a word, and get ready to make a match. Great for large groups or small gatherings!
- Includes: Scoreboard, 8 dry-erase slates, 250 doubled-sided word cue cards, rules
Green — FIREPLACE ACCESSORIES: BELLOWS, POKER, SHOVEL, TONGS.
Blue — ELEMENTS OF “SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER”: DISCO, JOHN TRAVOLTA, PLATFORM SHOES, POLYESTER SUIT.
Rank #2
- STRATEGIC THINKING: Elevate the fun with this game, where players strategically choose word combinations, making it perfect for party games for adults and family, enhancing both depth and complexity.
- MULTIPLAYER FUN: Engage in multiplayer entertainment with Subtext Showdown, perfect for game nights with 3 to 6 participants, promoting communication and creative thinking in the realm of adult games for game night.
- POINTS OF PRECISION: Accumulate points by adeptly deducing associations or demonstrating telepathic synchronicity, ensuring a gratifying experience for effective communication and intuitive connections in adult board games.
- RACE AGAINST TIME: With a ticking clock, players must think quickly and make their associations before time runs out, adding an exciting element of urgency to the game.
- EXCITING PERFECT GIFT: Combine phrases from the 16 cards to form associations that friends can decode, providing an exhilarating challenge in teen-friendly card games, perfect gift for any occasion.
Purple — HOMOPHONES OF WAYS TO COOK SOMETHING: BOYLE, BRAYS, SEER, STU.
Why the purple words fit
Each tile sounds like a cooking verb: BOYLE sounds like “boil,” BRAYS like “braise,” SEER like “sear,” and STU like “stew.” The spellings are the misdirection; the spoken words complete the group.
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Rank #3
- Two teams race to identify their agents from a 5×5 grid, guided by a spymaster who knows each card’s identity
- Spymasters give one-word clues and a number to link multiple cards, encouraging creative thinking
- Teammates guess words matching the clue while avoiding the other team’s agents, bystanders, and the assassin
- Revealing the assassin ends the game instantly, adding high-stakes tension
- Teams may guess up to the clue number plus one, allowing strategic risks or revisiting old clues
How Connections works
Connections asks players to sort 16 words into four related groups. The groups are color-coded by difficulty, and players can make up to four mistakes. It is playable on desktop or mobile through the NYT Games site. The puzzle-specific hints and answers above are reported by TechRadar’s February 19 guide; Try Hard Guides’ answer listing also agrees on the four category labels.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- UNIQUE COOPERATIVE WORD GAME: Write one clue connecting two keywords on each clover leaf. Teammates guess which keyword pair each clue links in this inventive, laugh-out-loud word association game
- CREATIVE PARTY GAME FOR ADULTS: So Clover! challenges players to make unexpected word connections. The more creative your clues, the higher your team scores in this hilarious adult party game
- GREAT FOR WORD GAME FANS: So Clover! takes cooperative word games to the next level with a unique multi-clue clover structure that delivers fresh, surprising, and satisfying creative connections
- FAST, FUN & SOCIAL: Plays in under 30 minutes with 3-6 players ages 10 and up. So Clover! is quick to setup, with no filler, just pure creative energy and highly collaborative family fun from the very first round
- IDEAL GIFT FOR ADULTS & FAMILIES: So Clover! is the party game gift for anyone who loves wordplay and creative thinking. Easy to teach in minutes, endlessly engaging at any family game night
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