Stumped? Your Complete Guide to NYT Connections Hints & Answers for February 21st!

Alright, fellow word puzzle enthusiasts, how's that brain feeling after today's NYT Connections? If you're anything like me, some days you sail through, feeling like a genius, and other days you stare at the grid, convinced the New York Times is actively trying to trick you. Well, you're not alone! Today's puzzle, #986 for February 21st, had a few clever curveballs, didn't it?

For those unfamiliar, NYT Connections is that brilliant, infuriating little game where you group 16 words into four categories of four, without making more than four mistakes. It's a delightful blend of vocabulary, lateral thinking, and sometimes, pure guesswork. The real challenge? The words often seem to fit into multiple categories at first glance, leading you down a rabbit hole of wrong guesses.

So, whether you're just looking for a gentle nudge, a little whispered hint to get you unstuck, or you've thrown in the towel and just want to see the answers, you've come to the right place. Let's dive into today's puzzle, shall we?

General Strategies Before We Spill the Beans

Before we get to today's specific hints, a quick word of advice. When tackling Connections, always look for the most obvious connections first. Sometimes, the seemingly simple category is indeed the easiest yellow group. Also, be wary of homophones or words that have multiple meanings – that's where the puzzle often tries to trick you! And don't forget to consider parts of speech; sometimes a group is all verbs, or all nouns.

Today's Hints for February 21st (Puzzle #986)

If you're still determined to solve it yourself but just need a little direction, here are some subtle clues for today's puzzle. We'll start with what might be the easiest category and work our way up to the trickier ones.

Yellow Category Hint: Getting Higher

Think about actions. What verbs suggest upward motion or improvement? This group should feel pretty straightforward once you spot a couple of them.

Green Category Hint: Sounding It Out

Let's talk music. If you've ever taken a piano lesson or sung a simple tune, these words will likely jump out at you. It's about a fundamental sequence.

Blue Category Hint: Who's in Charge?

Consider leadership roles, positions of authority, or important figures within an organization or group. These words all point to someone at the top, so to speak.

Purple Category Hint: It All Starts with...

This is often the trickiest one, as the connection is less about meaning and more about structure or a shared linguistic element. For this group, pay close attention to the very beginning of the words. They share a common prefix that ties them together, almost like a secret code.

Ready for the Full Solutions? (Spoiler Alert!)

Okay, deep breath! If you've wrestled with it long enough and just want to put your mind at ease, here are the full solutions for today's NYT Connections puzzle #986. Don't scroll further if you still want to try and solve it!

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Seriously, this is your last chance to turn back!

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Alright, here we go!

The Answers:

• Yellow Category: THINGS THAT GO UP
  • BOOST
  • ELEVATE
  • PUSH
  • SOAR
• Green Category: MUSICAL SCALE NOTES
  • DO
  • RE
  • MI
  • FA
• Blue Category: TYPES OF "HEAD"
  • BOSS
  • CHIEF
  • FOREMAN
  • MAJOR
• Purple Category: WORDS THAT START WITH "UP"
  • UPLIFT
  • UPROAR
  • UPSTART
  • UPTAKE

How did you do? Were the hints enough, or did you need the full reveal? Either way, I hope this helped you conquer today's NYT Connections. There's always tomorrow's puzzle waiting to challenge us again! Happy puzzling!