You’ve been there. It’s 7:00 AM, you’re staring at a grid of 16 words, and absolutely nothing makes sense. You think you’ve found a connection—maybe it’s four types of fruit—but the game tells you you’re "one away." Suddenly, the panic sets in. NYT Connections hints January 15 are exactly what you need when Wyna Liu decides to be particularly devious with the wordplay.
Today’s puzzle is a classic example of why this game has overtaken Wordle in the "making people pull their hair out" department. It isn’t just about knowing definitions; it’s about seeing through the traps.
Why Today’s Grid is a Total Head-Scratcher
Honestly, the January 15 board feels like a targeted attack on anyone who tries to rush through their morning coffee. We’re dealing with Game #949, and the overlap is real. You might see "SNOW" and immediately look for other winter words like "FROSTY" or "MISTY" (leftovers from yesterday's mental baggage), but that’s exactly how they get you.
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The trick today is separating the literal from the structural.
NYT Connections Hints January 15: Quick Clues
If you just want a little nudge without the full reveal, here is the vibe for today’s categories:
- Yellow: Think about what you’d find in a shed or a backyard.
- Green: These words describe something that isn’t going anywhere.
- Blue: These are all things that—annoyingly—flake off or come in flakes.
- Purple: This is a "wordplay" category. Look at the names hidden inside the words.
The Categories Explained
Let’s break these down. Sometimes seeing the category name is enough to make the lightbulb go off.
Gardening Tools (Yellow)
This is the "straightforward" group. You’re looking for things you’d use to move dirt or water.
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- Words: HOSE, RAKE, SHOVEL, SPADE.
Unmoving (Green)
These words describe a lack of motion. The trap here is "STILL," which can mean many things, but in this context, it’s about being stationary.
- Words: FROZEN, STATIC, STATIONARY, STILL.
Things That Come in Flakes (Blue)
This is where it gets messy. One of these is a breakfast staple, one is a weather event, and the other two are... well, less pleasant.
- Words: CEREAL, DANDRUFF, SALT, SNOW.
Words Formed by Two Men's Names (Purple)
This is the hardest group. It’s a "hidden in plain sight" category. If you look at "JACKAL," you see Jack and Al. "PATRON" is Pat and Ron. It’s clever, but kinda mean.
- Words: JACKAL, LEVITATE, MELTED, PATRON.
What Really Happened With the Word "SNOW"
Most players are going to lose a life today because of "SNOW." Why? Because it fits so perfectly into a "Weather" category that doesn't actually exist on this board. You see "FROZEN" and "SNOW" and you think you’ve found the Green or Blue group instantly.
But "FROZEN" belongs with "STATIC" because it refers to a state of being stuck, not necessarily ice. "SNOW" belongs with "DANDRUFF" because they both flake. It’s that kind of lateral thinking that makes Connections so addictive and, frankly, infuriating.
Expert Strategies for Future Puzzles
Don’t just click.
Wait.
Wyna Liu, the editor, is known for "red herrings." A red herring is a word that seems to belong to two or three different groups. Before you submit your first guess, try to find at least five words that could fit a category. If you find five, you know that category is a trap and you need to narrow it down.
Also, look for the "Purple" group first. Usually, the Purple group involves:
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- Homophones (words that sound like other words).
- Missing words (like "Silent ___").
- Compound words (like today’s "two names" trick).
If you can spot the Purple outlier early, the rest of the board collapses much more easily.
Actionable Tips for Tomorrow
If you struggled with the NYT Connections hints January 15, don't let it ruin your streak. Tomorrow, try the "Shuffle" button immediately. Our brains get stuck in a "grid" pattern, and sometimes just moving the tiles physically helps you see the "JACK+AL" or "PAT+RON" connection that you missed when they were on opposite sides of the screen.
Your next move: Open the grid again and look for those hidden names in the Purple group. Once you see "LEVITATE" as Levi and Tate, you’ll never look at the word the same way again.