Do you ever stare at the four colored grids, convinced the words are mocking you, only to realize the connection was hiding in plain sight the whole time?
For many, the daily ritual of solving the NYT Connections puzzle is a vital mental warm-up. It's a game that demands lateral thinking, pattern recognition, and the ability to ignore the obvious red herrings. If you are hunting for today's NYT Connections hints for Puzzle #937 (January 3, 2026), you have come to the right place. Below, we break down the strategies to crack the code without spoiling the fun--until you're ready.
Strategic Hints for Puzzle #937
Before you look at the solutions, it is essential to understand the hierarchy of difficulty. The game categorizes groups by color: Yellow is usually the most straightforward, followed by Green, Blue, and finally the devious Purple.
Here are the spoiler-free categories for today's game:
- Yellow Category: Ranks within a structured hierarchy.
- Green Category: Casual lower-body garments (singular terms).
- Blue Category: Chart-topping hits by a specific pop icon.
- Purple Category: A common adjective paired with a specific noun.
If you are still struggling, try to identify the "odd one out" in your selection. In Connections, words often have multiple meanings. For instance, "General" could refer to a rank, but it also means "vague." "Slack" could be a pant style or a messaging app. Context is everything.
The Solution Breakdown
When you are ready to reveal the answers, here is how the board for Puzzle #937 resolves. If you haven't played yet, look away now!
Yellow Group: Army Ranks
The most accessible group today relies on a standard military hierarchy. The words CAPTAIN, GENERAL, MAJOR, and PRIVATE all fit into this structure. This is a classic Connections trope and usually the best place to start your daily attempt.
Green Group: Singular Legwear
Green often represents common nouns. Here, the connection is clothing, specifically how we refer to items in the singular. JEAN (as in "a pair of jeans"), JOGGER, OVERALL, and SLACK are all types of pants or leg coverings.
Blue Group: Rihanna Hits
The Blue category introduces a pop culture element. DIAMONDS, SOS, UMBRELLA, and WORK are all number-one singles by the artist Rihanna. This category often trips up players who aren't up to date on their music trivia.
Purple Group: Wet ___
Purple is always the hardest, often involving wordplay or fill-in-the-blank phrases. Today, you needed to pair "WET" with the remaining words to form common idioms: WET BAR, WET BLANKET, WET NURSE, and WET WILLY.
Mastering the Connections Strategy
Why do we obsess over these puzzles? Beyond the daily dopamine hit, solving puzzles engages cognitive flexibility. According to a study on cognitive training, engaging in pattern-recognition games can help maintain mental acuity (Harvard, 2024). Furthermore, the Mayo Clinic notes that activities requiring concentration can serve as a stress reliever (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
To improve your own game, look for these common trap categories that often appear in Connections:
- Horror Movie Titles: Words like Poltergeist, Alien, It, and Carrie often look like they belong to other categories (e.g., "Ghost," "Foreign," "IT," "Name").
- Coffee Types:Americano, Latte, Mocha, and Macchiato can masquerade as names or places.
- Tech Terms:Cloud, Cookie, Firewall, and Window have literal meanings that compete with their digital definitions.
When you encounter a board, try to isolate the words that have the most obscure meanings first. If a word fits perfectly into a "colors" category but also fits into a "verbs" category, hold off on submitting until you have checked the rest of the board.
Source: Connections/NYT
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the difficulty determined?
The NYT assigns colors based on the familiarity of the category. Yellow is usually a concrete category everyone knows (like "Dog Breeds" or "Kitchen Items"). Purple is almost always a wordplay category or a fill-in-the-blank.
Can I play old puzzles?
Yes! The NYT Games app allows you to play past puzzles if you have a subscription. This is a great way to practice if you are looking for today's NYT Connections hints but want to build your skills on older, easier boards first.
What if I make a mistake?
You are allowed four mistakes before the game ends and the solution is revealed. Use your mistakes wisely--don't guess randomly; use them to test a potential category theory.
Ready for tomorrow's challenge? Check back for a fresh set of hints and strategies.
