Issue #951 Sat 17 Jan
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — January 17, 2026
A tidy grid that balances straightforward associations with a few letter-based traps. You will find the rhythm of the solve shifts once the initial options are cleared away.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
A fresh coat of paint on a hallway wall or the heavy wool pulled up to your chin on a January night.
Physical actions of application
Synonyms of physical displacement
Members are 4–7 letters; first letters B, C, P.
SPREAD OVER
One is BLANKET.
BLANKET · COAT · COVER · PLASTER
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
A heavy stone launched into a pond or a teenager lobbing a crumpled paper ball toward the wastebasket.
Forceful physical movement
Synonyms of motion
Members are 4–5 letters; first letters C, H, P, S.
THROW
One is CAST.
CAST · HURL · PELT · SLING
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
You take the same letters and rearrange them until they reveal a different face entirely.
Linguistic rearrangement
Orthographic permutations
Members are 4 letters each; first letters I, K, S.
ANAGRAMS
One is INKS.
INKS · KINS · SINK · SKIN
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
A voice calling out from the backyard, signaling the start of a neighborhood ritual before the streetlights hum to life.
Common children's activities
Shared linguistic prefixes
Members are 3–7 letters; first letters C, H, R, S.
FIRST WORDS OF KIDS' GAMES
One is CAPTURE.
CAPTURE · HIDE · RED · SIMON
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
SPREAD OVERBLANKET · COAT · COVER · PLASTER
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Reveal the green group
THROWCAST · HURL · PELT · SLING
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Reveal the blue group
ANAGRAMSINKS · KINS · SINK · SKIN
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Reveal the violet group
FIRST WORDS OF KIDS' GAMESCAPTURE · HIDE · RED · SIMON
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on January 17, 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 17, 2026, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on January 17, 2026?
NYT Connections on January 17, 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 17, 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 #951?
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