NYT Connections 28 January, 2026: NYT Connections has emerged as one of the internet’s most addictive daily puzzles on the surface, the game is straightforward, but it rewards restraint, lateral thinking and pattern recognition. In order to test players ability to distinguish instinct from logic, the January 28 edition leans toward deception by combining commonplace items with abstract concepts.
What is NYT Connections?
The New York Times publishes a word-grouping puzzle called NYT Connections every day based on a common relationship, players must divide the sixteen words into four groups of four where each correct group is colored according to its level of difficulty, which ranges from manageable to purposefully challenging.
How to Play NYT Connections
- You are given 16 words and must form 4 correct groups
- Each group contains four words with a common link
- Groups are ranked by difficulty: green (easy), yellow, blue, purple (hardest)
- You can make up to four mistakes before the game ends
- Words may seem to fit multiple groups, which is often intentional
Today’s Connections Words for 28 January (Wednesday)
- RIB
- MOTOR
- MOCK
- TIRE
- PLATTER
- RAG
- NEEDLE
- GLOVES
- SHAM
- BUCKET
- PRETEND
- TIME
- SOAP
- DUMMY
- TONEARM
- ME
Today’s Connections Hints for 28 January (Wednesday)
- Yellow: Words that suggest something is not genuine
- Green: Items commonly used when cleaning floors
- Blue: Parts found on a traditional record player
- Purple: Words that become phrases when paired with “spare”
NYT Connections Answers for 28 January (#962)
- 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
This puzzle’s difficulty lies in overlap. Words like rag and mock tempt players into false groupings, while the purple category demands phrase-level thinking rather than definition matching.
Why Today’s Puzzle Tripped Players Up
Puzzle #962 was difficult because of its balance although many words felt adaptable enough to fit in somewhere else, none of the categories were confusing. The trick was knowing when to trust structure over instinct and quit over analyzing, which was a recurrent theme in the hardest versions of the game.
FAQ’s NYT Connections
- Is NYT Connections free to play?
Yes, it is free on the NYT Games website and app. - How many mistakes are allowed?
Players can make up to four incorrect guesses. - What do the colors mean?
They represent difficulty, from green (easiest) to purple (hardest). - Do categories change daily?
Yes, every puzzle uses new words and themes. - Is Connections harder than Wordle?
It’s more complex and layered, but less dependent on vocabulary depth. - What does “SHAM” mean in NYT Connections?Sham means something that is fake, false, or not genuine.
