Every morning, millions of puzzle enthusiasts across the globe reach for their phones, laptops, or tablets, eager to take on the latest daily challenge from The New York Times. On February 22, 2026, two of the publication’s most popular word games—Wordle and Connections—offered up fresh puzzles, each testing players’ wits in its own unique way. For those who thrive on brain teasers, this was another chance to flex their vocabulary, pattern recognition, and lateral thinking skills. For others, it was simply a fun way to start the day, maybe even with a cup of coffee in hand.
Wordle, the viral sensation that took the internet by storm after its official launch in 2021, presented players with Game #1709 on this brisk February morning. The rules, as always, were simple but fiendishly addictive: guess a five-letter word in six tries or fewer. Each guess yields feedback—green for the right letter in the right spot, yellow for the right letter in the wrong place, and gray for letters not in the answer at all. According to Insider Gaming, today’s puzzle had an average solve rate of 4.6 guesses out of six, making it just a tad easier than the previous day’s challenge, which clocked in at a five-guess average.
Hints for today’s Wordle nudged players in a particular direction without giving the answer away. The word, as described by Insider Gaming, was “a specific type of item, not a category or action,” and most commonly encountered in food-related contexts. It’s a word you’d likely spot on a menu or in a description rather than in casual conversation. The clues suggested it was used when an item was being identified or highlighted—perhaps a special of the day or a featured ingredient. For those needing a little nudge, the recommended starter words included GUARD, FRUIT, VAULT, AGAVE, and NAVAL. Each starter offered a strategic mix of common vowels and consonants, a tried-and-true approach for narrowing down possibilities.
But for the stumped—those who had exhausted their six attempts, or who simply couldn’t resist peeking—the answer was revealed: GUAVA. As Insider Gaming explained, GUAVA is “a noun that means ‘any of numerous tropical and subtropical American trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Psidium, of the myrtle family, especially P. guajava, bearing large, yellow, round to pear-shaped fruit, and P. littorale, bearing smaller, yellowish to deep-red, oval fruit.’” It’s a word that might not roll off the tongue every day, but it certainly fits the bill for a food-related, menu-worthy answer. Yesterday’s Wordle answer, for those keeping track, was AWAKE—a word that, while less exotic, perhaps resonated with those still shaking off the morning cobwebs.
Wordle’s daily ritual has become a cherished part of many people’s routines. The game updates at midnight local time, ensuring that every day brings a new challenge. For those already thinking ahead, the next puzzle—Game #1710—will be ready to play on February 23, 2026. As Insider Gaming noted, “Wordle is a daily word puzzle created by Josh Wardle. Initially developed as a prototype in 2013, it wasn’t fully released until 2021. The game challenges players to guess a five-letter word in six tries or fewer, using hints from each attempt to narrow down the answer.” Its rapid rise in popularity led to its acquisition by The New York Times in early 2022, and it has since inspired countless spin-offs and imitators.
But Wordle isn’t the only game in town. On the same day, The New York Times Connections puzzle #987 offered a different sort of mental workout. Connections, a relative newcomer to the Times’ Games section, asks players to find “the common threads between words.” Created with the help of associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, Connections has quickly become a social media favorite, with players sharing their results and strategies online.
The premise is straightforward, but the execution can be delightfully tricky. Each day, players are presented with 16 words. The goal? Group them into four categories, each containing four words that share a hidden link. The catch is that multiple words might seem to fit together, but only one solution is correct. Players are allowed up to four mistakes before the game ends, and the categories themselves often range from the obvious to the obscure.
According to Mashable, today’s Connections categories were as follows: “one who doesn’t fit in” (BLACK SHEEP, MISFIT, OUTCAST, REJECT), “descriptors for graying hair” (DISTINGUISHED, FLECKED, SALT-AND-PEPPER, SILVER), “classic comic strips” (BLONDIE, BLOOM COUNTY, PEANUTS, THE FAR SIDE), and “associated with Theodore Roosevelt” (BIG STICK, BULL MOOSE, ROUGH RIDERS, TEDDY BEAR). The color-coding system—yellow for the easiest set, followed by green, blue, and purple—added another layer of strategy, helping players prioritize their guesses. For those who struggled, shuffling the board or taking a step back often made the connections pop into focus.
Connections, like Wordle, resets daily at midnight local time. It can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices, making it accessible to just about anyone with an internet connection. And if today’s puzzle proved too tough, tomorrow will bring a fresh set of words and categories to untangle.
Both games share a spirit of community and friendly competition. Whether it’s the thrill of solving a tough Wordle in just a few guesses, or the satisfaction of cracking the Connections code before your friends, these puzzles have become a daily ritual for many. Their popularity speaks to a universal love of wordplay and problem-solving—a reminder that, even in a world overflowing with distractions, there’s something deeply satisfying about a well-crafted puzzle.
As new games and features continue to emerge, it’s clear that the appetite for daily brain teasers isn’t going anywhere. For now, though, Wordle and Connections remain at the heart of the Times’ puzzle empire, offering a little burst of joy, frustration, and triumph with every new day.