Issue #998 Fri 9 Jan
Connections hints — January 9, 2026
A dense grid today, leaning heavily into linguistic manipulation and numerical adjustments. The connections require a patient eye for how words transform when you strip away their initial baggage.
yellow group 7 nudges
Yellow group
A fresh coat of paint on a farmhouse, the warning light on a dashboard, or the specific hue of a stop sign in a blizzard.
Common household and pop culture objects
Shared visual characteristics
Members are 6–11 letters; first letters 3, C, H, S.
THINGS THAT ARE RED
One is 3 BALL.
3 BALL · CARDINAL · HEART EMOJI · SOLO CUP
green group 7 nudges
Green group
You are standing on a ledge looking down, or perhaps watching a glass slide toward the edge of a table.
Idiomatic expressions
Situational metaphors
Members are 4–8 letters; first letters 8, D, L, T.
USED IN METAPHORS FOR PRECARIOUS SITUATIONS
One is 8 BALL.
8 BALL · DEEP END · LIMB · THIN ICE
blue group 7 nudges
Blue group
The radio dial spinning past old hits, catching a fragment of a name before the signal fades.
Pop culture nomenclature
Truncation of proper nouns
Members are 6–11 letters; first letters 6, C, D, N.
MUSICAL ARTISTS MINUS STARTING NUMBERS
One is 6 MAFIA.
6 MAFIA · CHAINZ · DIRECTION · NON BLONDES
violet group 7 nudges
Violet group
A compass needle spinning in a workshop, landing on a mark that looks almost right but is off by a single character.
Linguistic manipulation
Character substitution
Members are 4–5 letters; first letters C, F, L, O.
CARDINAL DIRECTIONS WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED
One is COUTH.
COUTH · FORTH · LEST · OAST