Issue #943 Fri 9 Jan
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — 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 hints
Yellow group hints
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 hints
Green group hints
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 hints
Blue group hints
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 hints
Violet group hints
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
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
THINGS THAT ARE RED3 BALL · CARDINAL · HEART EMOJI · SOLO CUP
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Reveal the green group
USED IN METAPHORS FOR PRECARIOUS SITUATIONS8 BALL · DEEP END · LIMB · THIN ICE
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Reveal the blue group
MUSICAL ARTISTS MINUS STARTING NUMBERS6 MAFIA · CHAINZ · DIRECTION · NON BLONDES
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Reveal the violet group
CARDINAL DIRECTIONS WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGEDCOUTH · FORTH · LEST · OAST
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on January 9, 2026. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for January 9, 2026, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on January 9, 2026?
NYT Connections on January 9, 2026 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on January 9, 2026?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #943?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words