NYT Connections #981
Hints, category titles, and full answers for Monday, February 16, 2026
🧩 February 16, 2026
Connections Hint #981 — February 16, 2026
By NYT Connections HintsLast updated:
About this puzzle
This is the complete solution to NYT Connections puzzle #981, originally published on Monday, February 16, 2026. The four categories ranged from KNEE-SLAPPER (the easiest, yellow group) through STRESS RESPONSES (the trickiest, purple group, which usually involves wordplay or hidden patterns).
You can browse our complete Connections archive for every past puzzle since the game launched in June 2023, or jump to today's puzzle for the latest hints.