Today’s NYT Connections (Puzzle #960) for Monday, January 26, 2026, kicks off the week with a mix of Hollywood stardom and some clever animal wordplay. While the Yellow and Green groups rely on fairly standard synonyms, the Purple category asks you to perform a little surgery on the words to find the hidden mammals.
If you are struggling to connect “Rabbi” to “Badge,” or wondering why “Close” is capitalized, we have the full breakdown below.
Difficulty Level
Today’s puzzle is Moderate.
- Yellow & Green: Synonyms that might overlap slightly but have distinct meanings.
- Blue: Pop culture knowledge (names) is required.
- Purple: Wordplay involving spelling manipulation (removing letters).
Hints for Today’s Groups
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here are the themes for each color-coded group:
- Yellow Group Hint: To use someone or something for profit, often unfairly. (Think: getting every last drop).
- Green Group Hint: To intimidate, scare, or unnerve someone.
- Blue Group Hint: Last names of famous women who have graced the silver screen.
- Purple Group Hint: Take a furry animal’s name and chop off the very last letter.
Spoilers Below!
Warning: The sections below contain the direct answers for today’s puzzle.
Yellow Group Answer
Theme: Exploit
- DRAIN
- FLEECE
- MILK
- SQUEEZE
Green Group Answer
Theme: Daunt
- BUFFALO
- COW
- RATTLE
- RUFFLE
Blue Group Answer
Theme: Iconic Actresses
- CLOSE (Glenn)
- FIELD (Sally)
- FOSTER (Jodie)
- WEAVER (Sigourney)
Purple Group Answer
Theme: Mammals Minus Last Letter
- BADGE (Badger)
- GOA (Goat)
- MOOS (Moose)
- RABBI (Rabbit)
Puzzle Analysis
The Blue group (“Iconic Actresses”) is a classic Connections trap. Words like “Close,” “Field,” and “Foster” look like common verbs or nouns, easily camouflaging themselves among the Yellow and Green synonyms.
The Purple group (“Mammals Minus Last Letter”) is the highlight today. It requires lateral thinking to see “Badger” inside “Badge” or “Rabbit” inside “Rabbi.” This is a great example of how the puzzle creators use homonyms and spelling tricks to hide the connection.
How to Play Connections
If you are new to the daily challenge, here is the breakdown:
- Grid: You start with 16 words.
- Goal: Group them into four sets of four words that share a common theme.
- Mistakes: You have four lives. If you guess a group incorrectly, you lose a life.
- Colors: The groups are color-coded by difficulty:
- Yellow: Easiest
- Green: Medium
- Blue: Hard
- Purple: Tricky/Abstract
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the answer to the Purple group in Connections today?
The Purple group answers are BADGE, GOA, MOOS, and RABBI. The theme is “Mammals Minus Last Letter.”
When does the Connections puzzle reset?
The puzzle resets daily at midnight local time.
