NYT Connections Hints and Answers for January 3, 2026, #938

Happy Saturday, puzzlers! I hope your morning brew is hitting just right on this chilly day. As I sipped my coffee this morning, I couldn't help but think about how solving today's "Connections" puzzle is a lot like finding that perfect balance of cream and sugar – it's all about blending different elements together smoothly.

Today's grid is a colorful mix of clues in varying tiers – from sunny yellow to deep purple. Make sure to scan for loose synonyms and keep an eye out for those tricky cross-category decoys. It's all about making those connections and seeing how everything fits together in the big picture.

Are you ready to dive in and untangle the web of words waiting for you today? Whether you're a seasoned solver or a newbie to the game, there's always something new to discover. So grab a warm drink, cozy up, and let's crack these clues together. Need a hint or just want to jump in? The puzzle is calling – it's time to play!

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