Technology

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're disloyal.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 27, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Betrayer

• Green: Vibe

• Blue: One thing led to another

• Purple: Iron

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Backstabber

• Green: Aura

• Blue: Kinds of chain reaction "effects"

• Purple: ___ Press

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #992 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Backstabber: JUDAS, SNAKE, TRAITOR, TURNCOAT

• Aura: AIR, IMPRESSION, MANNER, QUALITY

• Kinds of chain reaction "effects": BUTTERFLY, DOMINO, RIPPLE, SNOWBALL

• ___ Press: BENCH, DRILL, FRENCH, PRINTING

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 27, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you tend to overdo it.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 27, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 27, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's a little much

The words are related to extras.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe more than is needed.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Enough Already.

NYT Strands word list for February 27

• Excess

• Enough Already

• Surplus

• Overkill

• Redundancy

• Glut

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you sometimes feel faint.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 27, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 27, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Lightheaded.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter Z appears twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

DIZZY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

Los Angeles is finally extending its transit system to the tony streets of Beverly Hills, announcing on Thursday that a 4-mile extension of the D Line subway opens on May 8.

Transit followers eagerly anticipating the new subway extension have long made jokes on Reddit and X about wanting to "ride the D." Metro, LA County’s transportation agency, is not shying away from the randy pun. The agency is selling "Ride the D" t-shirts and crop tops on its online merch store.

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The minimalist black tops are a steal, too. The crop is going for $20 (excluding taxes and shipping), and the T is $21; both were still available as of Thursday evening.

Along with the jubilation at the long-awaited project — which has been in the works for decades and has two more westward extensions that will open in 2027 and 2028 — there was much astonishment at Metro embracing the cheeky tagline.

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Metro has been responding directly to riders on X from its @metrolosangeles account, leaning fully into the internet moment.

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Back in 2007, Seattle welcomed a new streetcar line with a similarly sexual moniker — an acronym of the South Lake Union Trolley.

As we step into March, get ready to update your Netflix watch list with new, exciting titles, as the streaming platform gears up for a promising release slate. With new and returning titles coming to your screen almost every day, this month is sure to fulfill all your streaming needs.

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March is upon us, and like the regenerative days and months that lie ahead, Prime Video has unleashed a brand cornucopia of new movies and TV shows to entertain us. The streaming giant just dropped more than 80 new titles that include new Amazon original movies, TV shows, and specials, as well as a pile of new seasons of some of the most anticipated shows of the season.

Since showing up in 2007, the Acura RDX has carved out a steady spot in the U.S. luxury crossover crowd. It’s managed to stick around by blending solid performance, dependable engineering, and pricing that doesn’t feel outrageous for the badge.

The first Android 17 beta is only a week old, but Google has already released a second beta update, giving us a better look at what's coming to phones and tablets later this year. This time around, there are some impressive multitasking upgrades.

Just because the 2026 Winter Olympics have concluded, that’s no reason to cancel your Peacock subscription. In fact, it would be a big mistake. The streamer has an impressive library full of content—plenty of which consists of originals that aren’t just worth watching, they’re full-on addictive, and that's why you must see them.

As a gamer, I always built my computers with one goal in mind: a smooth gaming experience. Two decades ago, that meant something entirely different than it does now, and for the most part, many of us were happy to run the latest games at 1024x768, if not less. These days, with ever-growing hardware demands and games that aren't optimized too well, we're dealing with a whole host of different issues.

If you are of a certain age, you may recall advice from an older family member about letting your engine "warm up" for a bit, especially on cold mornings. In my rural northwest Iowa community back in the 1980s, everyone in town did this during the winter. You go out, start your car, clear the snow off, and then run back inside.

Nothing is ever truly free. There has to be a fee somewhere in the fine print, right? It's understandable to get an uneasy feeling when reading the word "free." So when I say that this list consists of three free movies, it might cause some hesitation.

Sitting still for long periods may increase the risk of serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, obesity, and some cancers. Even as little as one minute of walking every 30 minutes could provide modest benefits, such as reducing blood pressure. That's why I use one of my smart home sensors to nag me when I've been sitting for too long.

Ubuntu Linux 26.04 LTS will be released in two months, marking the next Long Term Support version of the popular desktop Linux distribution. The update already had a nickname, Resolute Raccoon, but now its raccoon-themed wallpaper background has finally been revealed.

Elon Musk's Tesla is taking the California Department of Motor Vehicles to court, an attempt to win back the right to use the term "autopilot" when advertising its line of cars.

In a case filed Feb. 13, the electric vehicle giant claims that the department "wrongfully and baselessly” labeled Tesla a “false advertiser,” and argues that the department did not effectively prove that customers had been led to believe the vehicles could be operated without human oversight.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic changes safety policy amid intense AI competition

Last year, a judge for California's Office of Administrative Hearings ruled that the company had engaged in deceptive marketing by describing its fleet's driver assistance systems as "Autopilot" modes. The court argued that Tesla's Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving Capability” (FSD) did not meet the necessary autonomous driving criteria under NHTSA’s Levels of Automation system — the features are rated by the NHTSA as Level 2 automation, where Level 5 is a fully autonomous vehicle. The decision claims features need to be at least Level 3 to be described as "self-driving."

In using such terms, Tesla has misled drivers and poses a consumer risk, the decision said. Tesla has faced multiple legal challenges that its self-driving features led to the deaths of multiple people. The company was found partially liable for a fatal, autopilot-related incident in August.

The California ruling went into effect on Jan. 15, and included a 30-day business suspension across the state unless the company ceased using the term in 60 days or changed its systems. Tesla responded in typical fashion: A tongue-in-cheek social post and a claim that sales would not be hit by the decision. Then, in January, the company effectively discontinued Basic Autopilot in the U.S., reshuffling its fleet offering with a standard traffic awareness mode and an option to upgrade your vehicle to FSD, now called "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)."

SEE ALSO: Robot, take the wheel: What you need to know about autonomous vehicles rolling out across the U.S.

A few weeks later, the state's DMV announced Tesla had met its obligations and would not face a suspension of its license, but now the company is fighting back against the decision with more force.

"An Administrative Law Judge found that Tesla broke state law by misleading consumers with the term ‘autopilot.’ Tesla agreed to stop this practice, and now they’re challenging it anyway. DMV is committed to protecting the traveling public and will defend the Administrative Law Judge’s findings and decision in court," a DMV representative said in a statement to CNBC.

Like many computer geeks, I tend to be a stickler for the right terminology. For example, I can never let it go when someone refers to a computer case as the "CPU" of the computer. Pedantic? Maybe. But there are some hills I just have to die on for some reason.

Samsung's all-new Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra are finally here, but one of my favorite pre-order deals is no longer available from Samsung's website. I'm talking about the free upgrade that doubles the internal storage when you pre-order.

Well, she's still got it.

Sitcom star Valerie Cherish (Lisa Kudrow) returns for a third and final season of HBO's The Comeback, created by Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City) and Kudrow. The show's first two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2014, offering up biting (and prescient) looks at sitcoms, reality TV, and the entertainment industry as a whole.

SEE ALSO: 'Toy Story 5' trailer: Woody and Buzz reunite to save Bonnie from becoming an iPad kid

Now, the cult classic is tackling a whole new host of Hollywood issues. Based on the trailer, chiefest among them will be AI.

Turns out, Valerie's hot new sitcom How's That? is written entirely by AI, much to the chagrin of the show's other writers (Abbi Jacobson and John Early). At least Valerie's publicist Billy (Dan Bucatinsky) seems excited about it.

The rest of the trailer showcases Valerie's involvement in other key elements of Hollywood in the 2020s. In one scene, she joins in on 2023's WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, posing with then-SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. Elsewhere, she makes an appearance on Hot Ones (and looks like she's absolutely suffering through it) and hangs out with Trixie Mattel.

On top of Kudrow and Bucatinsky, The Comeback Season 3 will see the return of many familiar faces, including Damian Young as Valerie's husband Mark Berman and Laura Silverman as reality TV director Jane Benson.

The Comeback Season 3 also stars Tim Bagley, Matt Cook, Jack O’Brien, Ella Stiller, Barry Shabaka Henley, Tony Macht, Brittany O’Grady, Zane Phillips, Julian Stern, and Andrew Scott.

The Comeback Season 3 premieres March 22 at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max. Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on HBO Max.