NYT Connections Hints and Answers for January 5, 2026, #940

Happy Monday, solvers! Did you ever have one of those mornings where your coffee spills, your dog chews up your favorite shoes, and your phone's auto-correct decides to play its own game of "mad libs"? Well, that was me today, battling with my phone as it turned "puzzle" into "puzzle…box…elephant…watermelon." So much for a smooth start!

Speaking of unraveling words, have you dived into today's Connections puzzle yet? Remember to keep an eye out for those sneaky yellow-tier words that might try to throw you off course. Scan for loose synonyms and watch out for cross-category decoys—it's all part of the fun in cracking the code and connecting the dots!

As the overcast sky mirrors the puzzle's layers of complexity, why not brighten up your day with a bit of wordplay and mental gymnastics? Whether you're a seasoned pro or a newbie to the game, there's always something new to discover. So, ready to tackle the challenge, or in need of some hints to get you started? The puzzle awaits—let's dive in and connect those dots!

How to Play NYT Connections

Overview

Connections is a daily word puzzle game from The New York Times. The goal is to find groups of four words that share something in common. You’re presented with 16 words arranged in a 4×4 grid, and you must identify four groups of four related words.

Basic Rules

• You have 16 words total, arranged in a 4×4 grid
• There are exactly 4 groups of 4 related words each
• Each word belongs to exactly one group
• You must find all four groups to complete the puzzle
• You have 4 mistakes allowed before the game ends

How to Play

• Look at all 16 words and try to identify patterns or connections
• Select 4 words you think belong together by clicking/tapping them
• Click “Submit” to check if your group is correct
• If correct, those 4 words will be removed and grouped together
• If incorrect, you lose one of your 4 allowed mistakes
• Continue until you find all 4 groups or run out of mistakes

Difficulty Levels

The four groups are color-coded by difficulty:

• 🟨 YELLOW: Easiest – usually straightforward categories
• 🟩 GREEN: Easy-Medium – slightly more complex connections
• 🟦 BLUE: Medium-Hard – trickier associations or wordplay
• 🟪 PURPLE: Hardest – often involves puns, multiple meanings, or very subtle connections

Strategy Tips

• Start with the most obvious connections first
• Be careful of red herrings – words that seem to fit multiple categories
• If you’re unsure, try to eliminate what doesn’t belong first
• The purple group often involves wordplay, homophones, or very creative connections
• Don’t guess randomly – you only have 4 mistakes

Scoring

• Complete the puzzle to see your results
• Mistakes are tracked but don’t affect your final score
• Share your results with friends using the share button
• Results show how many mistakes you made for each group