You’ve been there. It’s 8:00 AM, you’re on your second cup of coffee, and you’re staring at a four-by-four grid of words that make absolutely zero sense together. Welcome to the daily ritual of the New York Times Connections puzzle. If you’re hunting for the NYT Connections hints today Mashable style, you probably know that Mashable has a reputation for giving just enough of a nudge to keep your streak alive without totally spoiling the fun.
Honestly, today’s puzzle—#947 for Tuesday, January 13, 2026—is a bit of a psychological minefield.
Why Today's Grid is Tricky
At first glance, your brain probably jumped straight to dinner. You see BOWTIE, WHEEL, RIBBON, and ELBOW. It’s pasta, right? Farfalle, rotelle, mafaldine, and macaroni. It feels so right. It feels like a gift from the puzzle gods.
It’s a trap.
Wyna Liu, the associate puzzle editor at the Times, loves these "red herrings." In the world of Connections, if a category seems too obvious within the first five seconds, you should probably take a step back and breathe. Today’s puzzle is less about Italian cuisine and more about how words can be disassembled or attached to specific icons.
Breaking Down the Hints (The Mashable Way)
If you’re looking for the classic "ladder" of hints that Mashable usually provides, here’s how to think about the groups before you start clicking and losing those precious lives.
The Yellow Group: Wrapping It Up
Think about the last time you had to go to a birthday party. What did you bring besides the actual gift? You didn't just hand over a bare box. This group is the most straightforward, focusing on PRESENT GO-WITHS.
The Green Group: A Little Rough
This one is all about physical movement. Not a gentle tap, but something more... assertive. If you're in a crowded subway or trying to get through a mosh pit, you’re going to do this. The theme is JOSTLE.
The Blue Group: The Monopoly Man
Look at the remaining items. Some of them feel like they belong to a very specific, very wealthy board game character. If you can picture a guy in a top hat holding a bag of cash, you've got this. These are ACCESSORIES FOR MR. MONOPOLY.
The Purple Group: Hidden Anatomy
This is the one that usually makes people want to throw their phone. It’s wordplay. Pure, unadulterated wordplay. Look at the words OTOE, PARCH, RANKLE, and WHEEL. Notice anything? Try removing the first letter.
The Reveal: NYT Connections Answers for Jan 13, 2026
If you’ve run out of guesses or just want to confirm your suspicions, here is the full breakdown of the categories and words for puzzle #947.
- Yellow (Present Go-Withs): BOW, CARD, GIFT WRAP, RIBBON
- Green (Jostle): ELBOW, PRESS, SHOULDER, SHOVE
- Blue (Accessories for Mr. Monopoly): BOWTIE, CANE, MONEYBAG, TOP HAT
- Purple (Parts of the Foot Plus Starting Letter): OTOE (Toe), PARCH (Arch), RANKLE (Ankle), WHEEL (Heel)
The "Otoe" Controversy
Social media is already buzzing about the word OTOE. It’s a Native American tribe, but in this context, it’s just a vehicle for the word "toe." A lot of players find these "add a letter" or "remove a letter" categories frustrating because they ignore the actual meaning of the word.
But that’s the game.
Connections isn't a vocabulary test; it's a pattern recognition test. Whether you think it's clever or a "total crapshoot" (as some Redditors put it), it definitely keeps you on your toes. Or your otoes.
How to Get Better at Connections
Stop guessing. Seriously.
🔗 Read more: bob from slap battles: What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest mistake people make is clicking two words they think go together and then hunt for the other two. Instead, try to find "floating" words. These are words that could fit in multiple spots. Today, ELBOW and SHOULDER both fit the "Jostle" theme, but ELBOW also could have been part of that pasta trap.
Always look for a fifth word that fits a category. If you find five words for one group, you know at least one of them belongs somewhere else.
Also, use the shuffle button. It’s there for a reason. Sometimes your eyes get locked into a specific grid layout, and shuffling the words can break those mental blocks.
Moving Toward Tomorrow
If you’re already looking ahead to Wednesday, January 14, early hints suggest we might be dealing with "Fixed" positions and "Weather-related" wordplay. But for now, enjoy the win (or mourn the loss) of today’s foot-themed purple category.
To keep your edge for the next round, try these specific steps:
- Analyze the "Purple" potential first: Look for words that look "weird" like OTOE or RANKLE. They almost always belong to the most difficult group.
- Verify the Red Herrings: Before submitting "Pasta," ask if any of those words could mean something else (like ELBOW being a verb).
- Read Mashable’s Tiered Hints: If you're stuck, start with the most vague hint and work your way up. It builds your lateral thinking skills better than just looking at the answer list.