At a Glance
- The puzzle for January 20, 2026 featured four color-coded groups: yellow, green, blue, and purple.
- Each group contained four answers that fit the group’s theme and the provided hint.
- The puzzle’s solutions are available in a table that links each hint to its answers.
The NYT Connections puzzle released on January 20, 2026 has just been solved, revealing the answers for each color group and the clues that guided players. The puzzle, part of the New York Times Games section, challenges solvers to find words that share a common theme and match a specific hint. Below is a detailed breakdown of the puzzle’s structure, the answers, and a look at some of the toughest puzzles the game has offered.
Puzzle Overview
The game presents four separate groups of words, each identified by a color. Players must guess a set of words that share a common theme and match a hint specific to that group. The four groups are:
- Yellow – “Mixed together”
- Green – “Buzzzzz!”
- Blue – “You might walk or drive across”
- Purple – “Four words that start with hidden, similar words”
Each group contains four answer words, making a total of sixteen solutions.
How to Play
- The puzzle shows a 4 × 4 grid of blanks, one for each answer word.
- Players can submit up to 20 guesses before the grid is locked.
- Each guess must be a word that could belong to one of the four groups.
- The only clues provided are the color-coded hints; the themes must be deduced from the guesses.
- When a correct word is entered, the grid fills in the appropriate square.
Group Breakdown
| Color | Hint | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Mixed together | lace, twist, weave, wind |
| Green | Buzzzzz! | bumble, carpenter, honey, killer |
| Blue | You might walk or drive across | Brooklyn, Golden Gate, Rialto, Tower |
| Purple | Starting with synonyms for “hanker for” | Craven (crave), Desiree (desire), needle (need), wanton (want) |
Yellow Group
- Theme: Intertwine. Words such as lace, twist, weave, and wind all describe ways of mixing or binding together, whether in fabric or in motion.
Green Group
- Theme: Kinds of bees. Bumble is a common bee, carpenter refers to a bee that builds nests in wood, honey is a product of bees, and killer is a nickname for a large, aggressive bee.
Blue Group
- Theme: Famous bridges. Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River, Golden Gate Bridge crosses the Golden Gate, Rialto Bridge is in Venice, and Tower Bridge is a landmark in London.
Purple Group
- Theme: Synonyms for “hanker for”. Craven comes from crave, Desiree from desire, needle from need, and wanton from want; each shares a hidden prefix that hints at longing.
Puzzle Hints
Each color group comes with a single hint that narrows the field of possible answers. The hints are intentionally broad, encouraging players to think laterally:
- Yellow: “Mixed together” points to words that can be physically or metaphorically intertwined.
- Green: “Buzzzzz!” signals a connection to bees or bee-related concepts.
- Blue: “You might walk or drive across” references well-known bridges that are traversable.
- Purple: “Four words that start with hidden, similar words” hints at words that are synonyms for “hanker for” and share a common prefix.
Scoring and Stats
- The puzzle awards a numeric score based on the number of guesses used.
- Players can view their win rate, number of puzzles completed, and streak of perfect scores on their profile.
- A perfect score is achieved when all sixteen words are found in the minimum number of guesses.
Using the Connections Bot
The New York Times offers a Connections Bot that analyses submitted answers and provides a score. Registered users can track progress over time, compare win rates, and see how many puzzles they have completed.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming that every hint is a direct definition of the theme.
- Overlooking that some answers are abstract or metaphorical.
- Entering a correct word but placing it in the wrong color square.
- Ignoring the possibility that a word could belong to more than one group.
Strategy Tips
- Start with the hint and list all words that fit the clue before adding the theme.
- Group guessed words by color; this often reveals the theme early in the process.
- If a guess is rejected, think of synonyms or related terms that might fit the hint better.
- Keep a mental note of which colors have been filled to avoid repeating guesses.
Puzzle Difficulty
The purple group was described as fairly tricky. Players had to identify that the theme involved synonyms for “hanker for” and then find words that shared a hidden prefix. This required a deeper level of lateral thinking than the other groups.
Puzzle Release & Community
- The Connections puzzle is released daily in the NYT Games section.
- Players can register to see their personal statistics, including win rate and perfect-score streaks.
- The puzzle encourages community discussion, with many players sharing strategies on forums and social media.
Toughest Puzzles
The New York Times has catalogued some of its most challenging Connections puzzles. Below are the top five, along with a brief description of the trickiness:
- Things that can run – candidates, faucet, mascara, nose.
- Power ___ – nap, plant, Ranger, trip.
- Streets on screen – Elm, Fear, Jump, Sesame.
- One in a dozen – egg, juror, month, rose.
- Things you can set – mood, record, table, volleyball.
These puzzles are remembered for their unexpected word pairings and the need for deep lateral thinking.
Key Takeaways
- The NYT Connections puzzle for January 20, 2026 has a clear structure: four color groups, each with a hint and four answers.
- Solvers can use the hint to narrow down possibilities, then match the theme to finalize the words.
- The puzzle’s solution table provides a quick reference for all groups, making it easier to verify guesses.
- The list of toughest puzzles showcases the range of difficulty the game offers, from simple wordplay to complex associations.
Feel free to revisit the puzzle in the New York Times Games section or try the other challenging puzzles listed above to sharpen your word-finding skills.
