NYT Connections Answers & Hints – Jan 26, 2026 (#960)

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers & Help for Jan. 26 (#960)

If you’re looking for today’s NYT Connections answers, you’re in the right place. Puzzle #960, released on January 26, 2026, is one of the more enjoyable Connections boards this week. Even the purple group—usually the trickiest—has a clever twist that feels fair once you see it.

Below, you’ll find gentle hints, followed by all confirmed answers, with clear explanations so you understand why each group works.

This guide is written by real puzzle solvers for real players—no fluff, no guesswork.

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🧩 Hints for Today’s NYT Connections Groups

Hints are ordered from easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple):

• Yellow: Take advantage of someone
• Green: Intimidate or unsettle
• Blue: Famous women from classic and modern films
• Purple: Animal names—with something removed

If you’re stuck early, start with verbs. That’s the key today.

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✅ Today’s NYT Connections Answers (Puzzle #960)

🟨 Yellow Group — Exploit

These words all mean to unfairly take advantage of someone or something:

• Drain
• Fleece
• Milk
• Squeeze

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🟩 Green Group — Daunt

Each word can mean to intimidate, overwhelm, or shake someone’s confidence:

• Buffalo
• Cow
• Rattle
• Ruffle

This group trips people up because several words are also animals—but here, they’re verbs, not nouns.

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🟦 Blue Group — Iconic Actresses

These are last names of widely recognized, award-winning actresses:

• Close (Glenn Close)
• Field (Sally Field)
• Foster (Jodie Foster)
• Weaver (Sigourney Weaver)

If you enjoy film history, this one probably clicked instantly.

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🟪 Purple Group — Mammals Minus the Last Letter

This is the clever twist of the puzzle. Each word becomes a new valid word when the final letter is removed from a mammal:

• Badge → Badger
• Goa → Goat
• Moos → Moose
• Rabbi → Rabbit

Once you spot one, the rest fall quickly—but getting the first one is the challenge.

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🧠 Why Puzzle #960 Was Tricky (But Fun)

• Purple relies on letter logic, not meaning
• Green words double as animals and verbs
• Blue looks simple but distracts from other overlaps
• Several answers feel interchangeable at first glance

The safest solve order today was: Yellow → Green → Blue → Purple

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❓ NYT Connections FAQ

What is today’s NYT Connections puzzle number?

Today’s puzzle is No. 960.

What was the hardest group today?

Most players found the purple group hardest due to the letter-removal trick.

Is NYT Connections free to play?

Yes. You can play NYT Connections for free on the New York Times Games site.

How many groups are in each Connections puzzle?

Each puzzle has four groups of four words, totaling 16 answers.