NYT Connections Hints and Answers for January 2, 2026, #936

Happy Friday, dear solvers! Are you feeling the rush of the weekend approaching, or are you hitting the snooze button a little too often on this fine morning? Personally, I may have overslept a tad today, so the scent of freshly brewed coffee was my savior in a race against the clock.

Speaking of synchronized movements, tackling today's "Connections" puzzle is a bit like conducting a symphony. As you navigate through the color tiers and themes, remember to pay attention to the subtle variations in tone and meaning. It's all about finding those harmonious links between the clues.

So, are you ready to unravel the connections and unlock the puzzle's secrets? Remember to scan for loose synonyms, watch out for cross-category decoys, and trust your instincts. Dive in and let the colorful threads of wordplay guide you to victory. Feel free to drop hints or share your progress with fellow solvers. Let's make today's puzzle a collaborative masterpiece!

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