> At a Glance
> – The January 9 NYT Connections puzzle (#943) is rated super tricky
> – Blue and purple categories stump players the most
> – Answers include color red items, precarious metaphors, minus-number bands, and twisted directions
> – Why it matters: Puzzle fans can now check solutions and improve their solving streaks
The New York Times’ daily word game Connections dropped its 943rd edition, and players are calling it one of the toughest yet. If your grid left you scratching your head, you’re not alone.
Category Breakdown
Each color-coded group tested different brain muscles. The yellow set was easiest, purple the hardest.
Yellow: Things That Are Red
- 3 ball
- cardinal
- heart emoji
- Solo cup
Green: Precarious Situation Metaphors
- 8 ball
- deep end
- limb
- thin ice
Blue: Musicians Minus Numbers
- 6 Mafia (Three 6 Mafia)
- Chainz (2 Chainz)
- Direction (One Direction)
- Non Blondes (4 Non Blondes)
Purple: Directions With First Letter Changed
- couth (South)
- forth (North)
- lest (West)
- oast (East)
Previous Brain-Busters
The Times keeps a running list of its hardest puzzles. Recent stumpers include:
- Things you can set: mood, record, table, volleyball
- One in a dozen: egg, juror, month, rose
- Streets on screen: Elm, Fear, Jump, Sesame
- Power ____: nap, plant, Ranger, trip
- Things that can run: candidate, faucet, mascara, nose
Key Takeaways
- January 9 puzzle ranks among the toughest for blue and purple clues
- Registered players can track scores, streaks, and perfect games
- Connections Bot now offers post-game analysis like Wordle’s
- Solvers can compare stats and learn from past tricky patterns
Keep these solutions handy for your next daily puzzle showdown.
