NYT Connections Hints Today: Check Answers and Clues, January 28, 2026

NYT Connections, a word puzzle published every day by The New York Times, involves finding relationships among 16 distinct words by organizing them into groups of four. To determine these relationships, each puzzle will require players to create four different groups of four words and then for each group, have fun searching out the connections between the four words.

In the January 28, 2026 edition of Connections, players will continue to enjoy the experience of solving word puzzles as they discover other new and fascinating ways to group words together and create fun and exciting relationships among them. There will be words in each Connections puzzle that most players will automatically be able to group together based on the way they relate to each other based on their typical usage, however, there will also be words within each Connections puzzle that will require imaginative thinking and creativity to group them in comparison to a common phrase or to establish a connection among a particular group of four words.

Check Out: NYT Connections Hints Today: Check Answers and Clues, January 20, 2026

Hints for NYT Connections January 28, 2026  

Here are the hints for NYT Connections January 28, 2026 Puzzle #962. You have to club four words together which belong to the same catagory which will get sorted into 4 colours yellow, green, blue and purple. You just need to be good at pattern recognition and ability to sort them into correct categories. 

YELLOW: All these are synonyms of “fake” or “not real”.

GREEN: All are used for cleaning.

BLUE: These are all parts of a record player.

PURPLE: The common link is “SPARE ___”:

Let us find out the answers to today’s NYT Connections! Let us see how many were you able to get right! 

NYT Connections Answers for January 28, 2026 (Wednesday)

Here are the solutions for NYT Connections Puzzle #962 for January 28, 2026! 

Below you will see the four categories from today’s game, including the correct words that make up each set. Match these answers to your guesses of each category!

YELLOW: IMITATION (DUMMY, MOCK, PRETEND, SHAM)

GREEN: CLEANING SUPPLIES (BUCKET, GLOVES, RAG, SOAP)

BLUE: COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER (MOTOR, NEEDLE, PLATTER, TONEARM)

PURPLE: SPARE ___ (ME, RIB, TIME, TIRE)

Let’s take the time to review the groups one at a time and look at the connections that bind these four groups together.

What is the NYT Connections Game?

The New York Times has developed the Connections Puzzle, a word-based game that offers players an opportunity each day to group 16 various words into 4 unique categories that belong together based on their similarities. 

Players need to use all 3 of these skills: vocabulary, logic and pattern recognition when playing the NYT Connections game, so they will need to also use patience as they strategically think through and logically reason out how to solve each NYT Connections puzzle. This game is designed to be a source of both fun and intellectual challenge for all ages.

How to Play the NYT Connections Puzzle?

In the NYT Connections Puzzle, players are presented with 16 words that seem completely unconnected. Players must figure out how to group the 16 words into four sets of 4 words each based on something that connects them. 

Some words may look like they will be part of two different groups, which requires players to think logically and pay attention to the details. Pattern recognition, strategic thinking, and a willingness to be wrong and keep trying are all important in completing the puzzle.

Best Strategies to Solve NYT Connections Puzzles

Before solving a NYT Connections puzzle, players should first identify the most easily identifiable word groups available. Identifying synonyms or word categories such as color, animal, shape or occupation can provide valuable assistance.

 By using the methods outlined above when playing the NYT Connections Puzzle, the player will have a greater chance of achieving success.

Other NYT Games to Explore

If NYT Connections has become your new favorite, check out other daily brain teasers and games from The New York Times. 

Wordle: Guess a five-letter word in six attempts. 

Spelling Bee: Craft as many words as possible from a set of seven letters.

Mini Crossword: For a quick wordplay, perfect for a coffee break.

That's all for today's NYT Connections puzzle! Be sure to come back tomorrow for NYT Connections Hints and Answers for January 29, 2026.