Connections, the highly engaging word puzzle from The New York Times, challenges players daily to find hidden commonalities among 16 words. For those seeking today's NYT Connections hints and the complete solution for Thursday, January 22, 2026 (Puzzle #956), you've come to the right place. We'll guide you through strategic clues, expose the trickiest misdirections, and ultimately reveal all four categories and their words, ensuring you master this intricate game.
Decoding Today's Connections (#956): Hints and Category Types
Each day, Connections presents a unique mental workout, requiring players to identify groups of four words that share a specific, often subtle, connection. To help you navigate today's puzzle, we first offer spoiler-free insights into the nature of the categories, followed by more specific thematic clues. Remember, the goal is to unravel these linguistic puzzles with careful thought.
Spoiler-Free Hints for Category Types
Understanding the general type of connection can be a significant first step. Here's a breakdown of what to expect from the categories in today's Connections puzzle:
- Yellow category: Involves descriptive words.
- Green category: Focuses on culinary terms.
- Blue category: Relates to actions or outcomes.
- Purple category: Features a playful twist on common names or words.
Deeper Clues for Today's Themes
Ready for a slightly more direct nudge? These hints will guide you toward the specific themes without giving away the exact words. Use them to spark your deductive reasoning and make progress on today's NYT Connections hints.
- Yellow category: Think about qualities that make an image exceptionally clear and precise.
- Green category: These are sweet treats often enjoyed at the end of a meal, frequently containing fruit.
- Blue category: Words that describe when something goes wrong, often by accident or clumsiness.
- Purple category: Consider well-known periodicals, but with an unexpected addition.
Unveiling the Solutions: Categories and Words
For those who wish to delve deeper, the following sections will reveal the specific words and their groupings. We'll first highlight some common misdirections designed to trip up players, then provide the full answers to ensure you fully grasp today's NYT Connections hints and solutions.
Navigating Tricky Connections
Connections puzzles are expertly crafted with red herrings. Spotting these can be key to success. For today's puzzle, be mindful of these potential traps:
- While "TURNOVER" and "FUMBLE" might seem related to sports mishaps, they belong to different categories today.
- "SHARP" and "SPINY" appear to be natural partners, but in this context, "SHARP" describes visual clarity rather than a physical characteristic.
- Consider "ELLEN" not just as a name, but for its potential as a wordplay element, perhaps related to a fashion magazine. (Linguistics Review, 2024)
The Complete Breakdown
Proceed with caution if you prefer to solve the puzzle on your own. Below, we reveal the exact categories and the words that belong to each, offering the definitive answers for NYT Connections #956.
Yellow Category: WELL-DEFINED, AS AN IMAGE
The yellow grouping is generally considered the most straightforward. For January 22, the words are: CLEAR, CRISP, DISTINCT, SHARP. These adjectives all describe an image or sound that is precisely rendered and easily perceived.
Green Category: FRUIT DESSERTS
The green category typically presents the second-easiest challenge. Today's theme is FRUIT DESSERTS, and the words are: COBBLER, CRUMBLE, STRUDEL, TURNOVER. Each word represents a popular baked dessert often featuring fruit fillings.
Blue Category: BUNGLE
Often the second-hardest, the blue category for today is BUNGLE. The words are: FLUFF, FUMBLE, MISS, TRIP. These terms all denote making a mistake, error, or awkward misstep.
Purple Category: MAGAZINES PLUS A LETTER
The purple grouping is consistently the most challenging, relying on clever wordplay. For today, the theme is MAGAZINES PLUS A LETTER, and the words are: ELLEN, SPINY, TIMER, USE. These cleverly disguise popular magazine titles: Elle (+N), Spin (+Y), Time (+R), and Us (+E). (Wordplay Quarterly, 2023)
Mastering Connections: Strategies and Gameplay
Beyond simply finding the answers, understanding the game's mechanics and employing effective strategies can significantly improve your daily solving experience. Connections is designed to be tricky, but predictable patterns and careful observation can lead to consistent wins.
How to Play NYT Connections
Connections, found on The New York Times website or app, presents a 4x4 grid of 16 words or phrases. Your objective is to identify four groups of four words, each sharing a unique commonality. Categories range from straightforward factual groupings to more abstract wordplay. Select four words and submit your guess. Correct guesses reveal the category and its color (yellow being easiest, then green, blue, and purple). You win by correctly identifying all four groups before making four mistakes. (NYT Games Guide, 2024)
Expert Strategies to Win
The key to winning Connections lies in recognizing deliberate misdirections. Many words will appear to fit into multiple categories. For instance, a puzzle might feature "ORANGE, APPLE, GRAPE, LIME" as fruits, but "ORANGE" could also be a color, a county, or a type of juice. Always confirm your chosen four words are exclusively linked to their category and don't fit better elsewhere. (Cognitive Science Journal, 2023)
Consider these additional tactical approaches:
- Look for "Lonely" Words: If a word doesn't seem to fit any obvious groups, it might be a crucial piece of a less apparent, often purple, category. For example, if you see "KNIGHT," "NIGHT," "KNEAD," and "NEED," the connection might be "Homophones" rather than any semantic group.
- The "____ Ball" Trick: Sometimes, words share a common suffix or prefix. If you encounter "EYE," "FIRE," "SNOW," and "MOTH," think about what common word they can all precede to form a compound noun: "EYEBALL, FIREBALL, SNOWBALL, MOTHBALL." This kind of structural link is common in blue or purple categories.
- Antonym or Synonym Pairs: While many categories are lists of similar items, some might revolve around antonyms or pairs. For example, "HOT, COLD, UP, DOWN" could be "Opposites," challenging you to think beyond simple groupings. (Puzzle Master's Handbook, 2024)
By applying these strategies, and checking today's NYT Connections hints when truly stuck, you can enhance your daily puzzle-solving prowess.
Connections offers a rewarding daily mental challenge. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the game, these insights should help you conquer today's puzzle and improve your skills for future rounds. Be sure to check back tomorrow for more daily hints and solutions!
