NYT Connections Hints and Answers Today, January 28, 2026 (Puzzle #962)
NYT Connections hints January 28 2026 will help you gently narrow down today’s board before you see the full answers. This guide covers the 16-word list, light hints, category-level hints, today’s NYT Connections answers today, and quick strategy tips for Puzzle #962. Spoiler warning: answers appear in the later sections, so scroll carefully if you only want nudges
Today’s NYT Connections At A Glance (No Spoilers)
- Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 – NYT Connections Puzzle #962.
- Yellow group: Everyday idea related to fake or imitation things.
- Green group: Common cleaning supplies you might keep near a mop or bucket.
- Blue group: Record player components you need to spin and hear vinyl.
- Purple group: Words that can follow the same term meaning “extra” or a bowling result.
How to Use These Hints
- Start by scanning the full 16-word list and see if any obvious pairs jump out before reading hints.
- Use the light hints section first to get a sense of each color’s theme without seeing category titles.
- Only then check the category names and final answers at the bottom to confirm your guess or save your streak.
Today’s NYT Connections Word List (January 28, 2026, #962)
Here are all 16 words appearing on today’s board.
- RIB
- MOTOR
- MOCK
- TIRE
- PLATTER
- RAG
- NEEDLE
- GLOVES
- SHAM
- BUCKET
- PRETEND
- TIME
- SOAP
- DUMMY
- TONEARM
- ME
Today’s NYT Connections Hints (No Category Names Yet)
Use these softer clues first; they follow the usual order Yellow → Green → Blue → Purple.
- Yellow (easiest): Think about things that aren’t the real thing, but stand in as copies or fakes.
- Green: Picture the tools and items you’d gather when it’s time to scrub, mop, and get a room looking clean.
- Blue: Focus on playing vinyl records and the mechanical parts that help a turntable spin and produce sound.
- Purple (hardest): Look for words that can all follow a single term linked to being “extra,” and also to a scoring term in bowling.
Category Hints for Today’s Connections
These hints get closer to the real themes, still without listing the four-word sets.
- Yellow: Think “IMITATION” — stand-ins, pretenders, and things that only seem real.
- Green: Picture a “CLEANING SUPPLIES” caddy you’d carry around while tidying a house.
- Blue: Imagine all the “COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER” that need to work together for a vinyl session.
- Purple: Consider phrases where “SPARE” comes first, forming everyday expressions and one that’s a bowling outcome.
Today’s NYT Connections Categories and Answers
The NYT Connections answers for January 28, 2026 (Puzzle #962) are four groups: IMITATION, CLEANING SUPPLIES, COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER, and SPARE ____
Yellow group: IMITATION
- Words: DUMMY, MOCK, PRETEND, SHAM.
- These words all describe something fake or not genuine, whether it’s a counterfeit object, a false action, or a pretense.
Green group: CLEANING SUPPLIES
- Words: BUCKET, GLOVES, RAG, SOAP.
- Each belongs in a basic cleaning kit: a container for water, protective handwear, a cloth for wiping, and a substance to wash away dirt.
Blue group: COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER
- Words: MOTOR, NEEDLE, PLATTER, TONEARM.
- These are all physical parts of a turntable that help a record spin and send sound from the grooves to speakers.
Purple group: SPARE ____
- Words: ME, RIB, TIME, TIRE.
- Each forms a common phrase when paired with “spare,” like spare time or spare tire, connecting them through a shared leading word rather than direct meaning.
Category–Word Mapping Table
| Color | Category name | Words in group |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
How NYT Connections Works (Quick Refresher)
NYT Connections gives you 16 words that must be sorted into four groups of four, each group sharing a hidden connection. The color order typically runs from easiest to hardest: yellow, green, blue, then purple. You can make a limited number of mistakes before the game ends, so random guessing is risky. Many words are designed to mislead by fitting more than one possible theme, so pattern recognition is crucial.
Solving Tips for Today’s Puzzle
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First, cluster the clearly “fake” words like DUMMY, MOCK, PRETEND, and SHAM before they distract you in other categories.
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Separate generic household items into cleaning-related terms (BUCKET, GLOVES, RAG, SOAP) so they don’t get mixed with mechanical parts.
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When you notice NEEDLE, MOTOR, PLATTER, and TONEARM, think specifically about a record player rather than sewing or car parts.
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For the last group, test which leftover words make natural phrases with “spare” instead of trying to force a definition-based connection.
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If you’re stuck, shuffle the board and look for phrase-level links (like “spare ___”) rather than only synonyms.
