If today’s NYT Connections felt tougher than expected, you weren’t alone. Puzzle No. 956, released on January 22, 2026, leaned heavily on overlapping meanings and subtle misdirection — exactly the kind of design that rewards patience and punishes rushed guesses.
The goal, as always, is to sort sixteen words into four groups of four based on a shared theme. Today’s grid looked friendly at first glance, but several words seemed to fit multiple categories, creating hesitation even for experienced players.
Today’s puzzle details:
Puzzle number: 956
Date: January 22, 2026
Editor: Wyna Liu
Today’s NYT Connections word list brought together a wide-ranging mix of everyday language, blending action verbs, descriptive adjectives, and a handful of terms designed to blur category lines. The 16 words featured in today’s puzzle were TIMER, FUMBLE, SPINY, SHARP, TURNOVER, ELLEN, CRISP, MISS, USE, CLEAR, COBBLER, TRIP, CRUMBLE, FLUFF, DISTINCT, and STRUDEL. At first glance, several of these words appeared interchangeable or thematically linked, which made early guesses feel deceptively confident and encouraged a slower, more deliberate approach before committing to any group.
Gentle hints to get started
One category is clearly centered on baked desserts. If you identify one obvious pastry, the rest of the group becomes easier to spot.
Another group involves words that describe clarity or precision. These are often used to describe sounds, images, or ideas that are sharply defined.
A third set focuses on mistakes or errors, particularly verbs you might hear in sports or everyday mishaps.
The final category is the hardest. It relies on more abstract associations and is best left until the other three groups are safely locked in.
Stronger hint before the reveal
Be careful with words that feel edible or descriptive at the same time. One word that sounds like food does not belong with the desserts, and one familiar name is not a person reference at all.
Baked goods or desserts
COBBLER, STRUDEL, TURNOVER, CRUMBLE
This was one of the more approachable groups once identified. Each word refers to a classic baked dessert.
Clear or well-defined
CLEAR, SHARP, CRISP, DISTINCT
The trick here was CRISP, which many players briefly misfiled as food-related.
Mistakes or errors
FUMBLE, MISS, FLUFF, TRIP
These verbs all describe moments when something goes wrong, especially in performance or sports contexts.
Abstract or leftover group
TIMER, USE, ELLEN, SPINY
This final group caused the most confusion and was often solved last once the grid had narrowed.
Difficulty assessment
Overall, today’s puzzle ranked as moderate difficulty. While two categories were approachable, overlapping meanings created just enough friction to force careful thought. Many solvers likely finished with one or two mistakes remaining.
You can play or review today’s puzzle directly on the official New York Times Connections page.
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