NYT Connections Answers (January 26): Puzzle #959 Too Hard For You? Check Hints, & Solution

NYT Connections January 26 puzzle mixes movie stars, clever word tricks, and sneaky themes. See all hints and today’s full solution here.

NYT Connections resets every day and has a loyal group of fans who love spotting patterns and testing their thinking skills.

Source : Screenshot/New York Times

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• NYT Connections puzzle offers daily word grouping challenge.
• Players sort 16 words into four thematic groups.
• Difficulty levels indicated by color; four wrong guesses.

NYT Connections Answers: The New York Times’ daily brain teaser, Connections, is back with its Monday, January 26 puzzle, and it’s another clever mix of tricky words and smart themes. As always, players are asked to sort 16 words into four hidden groups. It sounds easy, but the puzzle is filled with red herrings that can quickly lead you in the wrong direction.

Like Wordle, Connections resets every day and has become a favourite for people who enjoy quick brain workouts. Some groups today are simple once they click, while others need a bit more thinking. If you found yourself stuck or second-guessing your choices, don’t worry. Here are today’s hints and the full solution in one place.

What Is Connections & How Do You Play?

Connections is a daily word game where you must group 16 words into four sets of four. Each group has a hidden theme. Every word belongs to only one group, even though many words may look like they fit in more than one place.

For example, “Hook,” “Nana,” “Peter,” and “Wendy” are all Peter Pan characters. Another example is “Action,” “Ballpark,” “Go,” and “Stick,” which all come before the word “Figure.”

You are allowed only four wrong guesses. On the fourth mistake, the game ends and the answers are revealed. Each group also has a difficulty colour:

• Yellow (easiest)
• Green (easy)
• Blue (medium)
• Purple (hardest)

This is what makes the game fun. It looks simple, but it really tests how well you can spot patterns and avoid traps.

Hints & Full Solution To NYT Connections (January 26)

Here are today’s official hints:

• Yellow: "To make use of..."
• Green: Think of the word "intimidate".
• Blue: As seen in movies.
• Purple: They're missing something.

Extra hints:

• Every theme contains either a word starting with an "F" or a "B".
• "Buffalo" and "cow" belong together.

One word from each group:

• Yellow: Squeeze
• Green: Ruffle
• Blue: Foster
• Purple: Badge

Full Solution for Monday, January 26:

• Yellow (Exploit): Drain, Fleece, Milk, Squeeze
• Green (Daunt): Buffalo, Cow, Rattle, Ruffle
• Blue (Iconic Actresses): Close, Field, Foster, Weaver
• Purple (Mammals Minus Last Letter): Badge, Goa, Moos, Rabbi

Today’s puzzle had a nice mix of meanings and word tricks. The “Exploit” group was clear once words like “milk” and “squeeze” stood out. The “Daunt” group was more sneaky, using words that feel physical but really point to the idea of fear or pressure. 

The actresses' group was a fun movie-style theme, while the purple group required careful reading, noticing that each word is missing the last letter of a mammal.

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