NYT Connections Hints, Answers & Help for Jan. 27 (#961)

Looking for help with today’s NYT Connections? The Jan. 27, 2026 puzzle (#961) is a fun one — full of clever misdirection. At first glance, the grid looks like it might be hinting at Batman, but that’s just a red herring. The real joy today comes from playful word associations and pop-culture references.

Below are spoiler-safe hints first, followed by the full answers, explanations.

---

🔍 Hints for Today’s NYT Connections Groups

Ranked from easiest (yellow) to trickiest (purple):

• 🟨 Yellow Group Hint: So funny!
• 🟩 Green Group Hint: Drop the puck
• 🟦 Blue Group Hint: Steal from the rich, give to the poor
• 🟪 Purple Group Hint: Play ball!

If the grid felt superhero-adjacent early on, don’t worry — that confusion is intentional.

---

✅ Today’s NYT Connections Answers (Jan. 27, #961)

🟨 Yellow Group — Quite the Laugh

• Card
• Character
• Cutup
• Joker

🟩 Green Group — NHL Team Member

• Devil
• Flyer
• Penguin
• Ranger

🟦 Blue Group — First Words of Robin Hood Character Names

• Friar (Friar Tuck)
• Maid (Maid Marian)
• Robin (Robin Hood)
• Sheriff (Sheriff of Nottingham)

🟪 Purple Group — Starting With Baseball Gear

• Ballroom (ball)
• Basement (base)
• Batmobile (bat)
• Capstone (cap)

The purple category is the trickiest: each word starts with a piece of baseball equipment, not a baseball term outright.

---

🤔 Why Today’s Connections Was Entertaining

• Yellow & green are approachable and reward quick pattern recognition
• Blue taps into classic folklore knowledge
• Purple relies on breaking words apart, not surface meaning

If purple came last for you, that’s exactly how the puzzle was designed.

---

🧠 Pro Tip: Use the Connections Bot

After finishing, try the Connections Bot from The New York Times. It analyzes your solve path, speed, and efficiency — great for improving your daily strategy.

---

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is today’s NYT Connections puzzle number?

Today’s puzzle is No. 961.

What was the hardest category in today’s Connections?

The purple group, which required identifying words that start with baseball gear.

What are the purple group answers for Jan. 27 Connections?

The answers are ballroom, basement, Batmobile, and capstone.

Is NYT Connections the same as Wordle?

No. Connections is a grouping-based word puzzle, while Wordle focuses on guessing a single five-letter word.

---

💬 Your Turn

Which group did you solve first — NHL teams or Robin Hood characters?
Did the baseball gear twist catch you off guard?

Share your solve experience below 👇