Waking up and opening the New York Times Games app has become a ritual for millions, but honestly, today’s puzzle is a bit of a nightmare. It's January 18, 2026, and the Connections grid is leaning heavily into linguistic traps that make you want to throw your phone across the room. You know that feeling. You see four words that seemingly belong together, you click them with confidence, and then the screen shakes in a judgmental little "no." It's frustrating.
Connections isn't just about knowing definitions; it's about spotting the specific way Wyna Liu, the puzzle's editor, is trying to trick you. Today’s grid features a mix of culinary terms, anatomy, and some very specific slang that might leave you scratching your head if you aren't a fan of vintage television or classic cooking.
Breaking Down the January 18 Connections Board
Let’s look at the board. We’ve got words like BRAIN, KIDNEY, EAR, and TONGUE staring us in the face. Your first instinct is probably "Parts of the Body." It’s an easy trap. In fact, it's the most obvious red herring on the board today. If you select those four, you’re going to lose a life immediately. Why? Because the game expects you to be more specific than that.
Think about it.
When was the last time you saw a "kidney" used in a non-medical context? Usually, it's food. Specifically, traditional English pies or offal dishes. That’s the "aha" moment. Today's puzzle thrives on the overlap between biology and the dinner table. If you're struggling with the NYT Connections hint and answer for January 18, you have to start separating the literal from the metaphorical.
The Yellow Category: Straightforward but Sneaky
Usually, the yellow category is the easiest. It’s the "low-hanging fruit." Today, it revolves around the concept of HEARING.
You're looking for:
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- HEAR
- LISTEN
- HEED
- MIND
It’s basic. You’ve probably used these words interchangeably a thousand times this week. "Mind your mother" or "Heed my warning." They all essentially mean to pay attention or obey. It’s the kind of category that feels good to get out of the way because it clears the board of common verbs, leaving the more complex nouns to simmer. If you got stuck here, it’s probably because you were trying to pair "Mind" with "Brain," which is exactly what the designers wanted.
The Green Category: A Trip to the Butcher Shop
This is where things get messy. As I mentioned earlier, the body parts aren't just body parts. They are TYPES OF ORGAN MEAT.
The group consists of:
- BRAIN
- HEART
- KIDNEY
- SWEETBREAD
Sweetbread is the dead giveaway here. It’s not bread, and it’s not particularly sweet in the dessert sense—it’s the thymus gland or pancreas. If you’ve ever eaten at a high-end French bistro, you’ve probably seen it on the menu. Pairing it with "Brain" and "Kidney" solidifies the culinary theme. This category is a classic example of how Connections uses "Variety" (the green level) to test your general knowledge beyond basic synonyms.
The Blue Category: Shapes and Silhouettes
The blue category today is quite clever. It focuses on things that share a specific CURVED SHAPE. Specifically, things that are CRESCENT-SHAPED.
The words are:
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- BANANA
- MOON
- SICKLE
- SMILE
It’s visual. Some people find these the hardest because they require you to stop thinking about what the word means and start thinking about what the word looks like. A sickle is a tool, a moon is a celestial body, and a smile is a facial expression. They have nothing in common linguistically. But close your eyes and trace the shape of each. They all follow that distinct C-curve. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.
The Purple Category: The "Word Before" Mystery
Ah, the purple category. The bane of every Connections player's existence. Today’s purple group is a "Blank " or " Word" type of puzzle. It involves the word EAR.
The items are:
- CORN
- DRUM
- RING
- WORM
Basically, these are all things you can put the word "Ear" in front of to create a new compound word or phrase. An Ear of Corn. An Eardrum. An Earring. An Earworm (that annoying song stuck in your head).
The trick here was "Corn." Most people want to put corn with other vegetables or food items. But since there were no other veggies on the board, it had to belong to a wordplay category. Purple is always about the meta-connection. It’s about the structure of the language itself rather than the definition of the words provided.
How to Avoid the Red Herrings
The biggest mistake people made today was the "Body Parts" trap. Let's count them: Brain, Heart, Kidney, Ear, Tongue, Smile (technically part of a face). That’s six words. You can only pick four. When you see six words that fit a theme, it means that theme is a lie. Or at least, it’s a partial truth.
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You have to look for the "outsiders." Sweetbread doesn't fit a "Body Part" theme for a human, but it fits a "Meat" theme perfectly. Sickle doesn't fit "Body Parts" at all, but it fits "Crescent Shapes" along with the Moon. By identifying the word that almost fits but is slightly too weird, you find the real category.
Why This Puzzle Matters for Your Brain
Doing the NYT Connections daily isn't just a way to kill five minutes while you drink your coffee. It’s actually a pretty intense workout for your fluid intelligence. This is the ability to reason and solve new problems independently of previously acquired knowledge.
When you solve the blue or purple categories, you are practicing "lateral thinking." You're training your brain to ignore the most obvious answer in favor of a more abstract one. It’s the same skill used by detectives, scientists, and even high-level business strategists to find patterns that others miss.
Actionable Tips for Tomorrow's Puzzle
If you struggled today, don't sweat it. Tomorrow is a new grid. Here is how you can approach it like a pro:
- Don't click anything for the first 60 seconds. Just look. Look for the "overflow" categories (where 5 or 6 words seem to match).
- Say the words out loud. Sometimes hearing the word helps you realize it's part of a common phrase (like the "Ear" category today).
- Identify the most "unique" word. A word like "Sweetbread" or "Sickle" is so specific that it usually defines its category. Find the home for the weirdest word first, and the rest of the board often falls into place.
- Use the Shuffle button. Seriously. Our brains get stuck in visual ruts. Moving the tiles around can break the false associations your eyes are making.
The January 18 puzzle was a masterclass in misdirection. Between the offal meats and the crescent shapes, it required a mix of culinary knowledge and visual spatial reasoning. If you cleared it without a mistake, you're in the top tier of players. If not, there's always the Wordle to redeem your morning.
Check back for tomorrow's breakdown. Keep your streaks alive.
Next Steps for Players:
To improve your performance, try playing the "Archives" to see past patterns. Notice how often "Body Parts" are used as red herrings; it's a favorite tactic of the editors. Also, familiarize yourself with "Double Meanings"—words that can be both a noun and a verb are almost always the keys to the purple category. Keep a mental list of "Blank ____" categories, as they appear at least twice a week.