NYT Connections Hints and Answers for January 28, 2026, #962

Happy Wednesday, fellow puzzle enthusiasts! As I savor my morning coffee, I can't help but think of those delightful moments when you stumble upon a new café or bakery. Today's exploration led me to a cozy spot with the scent of freshly baked pastries wafting through the air, a welcome treat for the senses on this crisp morning.

Speaking of discoveries, have you delved into today's Connections puzzle yet? Remember to keep an eye out for those cleverly disguised clues in different color tiers. Scan for loose synonyms and watch out for cross-category decoys that might throw you off track. It's all about making those connections between seemingly unrelated words!

So, are you ready to exercise your brain and unravel the puzzle's intricacies? Dive in, embrace the challenge, and don't hesitate to seek hints if you find yourself stuck. Let's embark on this wordy adventure together – who knows what hidden gems we might uncover today?

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
🟨 easy
Reveal Hint

Not real

Reveal Answer

IMITATION

  • DUMMY
  • MOCK
  • PRETEND
  • SHAM
🟩 medium
Reveal Hint

Used for tidying up

Reveal Answer

CLEANING SUPPLIES

  • BUCKET
  • GLOVES
  • RAG
  • SOAP
🟦 hard
Reveal Hint

Parts of a music player

Reveal Answer

COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER

  • MOTOR
  • NEEDLE
  • PLATTER
  • TONEARM
🟪 tricky
Reveal Hint

Extra

Reveal Answer

SPARE ___

  • ME
  • RIB
  • TIME
  • TIRE