At a Glance
- Ceftazidime, a medical term, headlines the toughest purple group
- Yellow group centers on living-room furniture
- Green group ranks experience levels
- Why it matters: Puzzle fans can now track stats on the official Times Games site
The New York Times Connections puzzle for January 12, 2026, has left solvers scratching their heads, largely because of one word: Ceftazidime. Amanda S. Bennett reported for News Of Losangeles that the antibiotic name anchored a purple group themed around words ending in U.S. coin names.
Group Hints and Answers
Yellow – Living-room furniture: armchair, bookcase, console, footstool
Green – Experience levels: expert, intermediate, novice, proficient
Blue – Promise: agreement, compact, handshake, understanding
Purple – Ending in U.S. coins: Ceftazidime, headquarter, Moneypenny, pumpernickel
The blue group nods to deal-making, while the green list orders skill stages. The purple set hides dime, quarter, penny and nickel inside longer words, a twist that tripped up even seasoned players.
New Stats Tool
Registered Times Games users can now follow detailed performance metrics, including puzzles completed, win rate, perfect-score tally and current streak. A Connections Bot, modeled on Wordle’s, delivers numeric scores and post-game analysis.
Past Brain-Benders
News Of Losangeles flagged five earlier puzzles that set community records:
- #5: “Things you can set” – mood, record, table, volleyball
- #4: “One in a dozen” – egg, juror, month, rose
- #3: “Streets on screen” – Elm, Fear, Jump, Sesame
- #2: “Power ___” – nap, plant, Ranger, trip
- #1: “Things that can run” – candidate, faucet, mascara, nose
Players hunting daily help can find same-day hints for Connections, Wordle, Mini Crossword, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands on the News Of Losangeles games hub.
