You know that feeling. You're staring at sixteen words on a yellow screen, and suddenly your brain decides it doesn't actually know English anymore. It's the daily ritual. We've all been there, sitting with a coffee or on a cramped subway, trying to figure out why Wina and Bridge are in the same grid. Honestly, today’s NYT Connections is one of those puzzles that feels like a personal attack until the lightbulb finally flickers on.
Look, Wyna Liu—the genius and occasional tormentor who edits these puzzles—definitely had a specific vibe in mind for Saturday, January 17, 2026. If you're down to your last two mistakes, don't just click "Dough" and "Bread" because they're both food. That's exactly how they get you.
Understanding the January 17 Logic
Connections isn't just a game of synonyms. If it were, it’d be a crossword. It’s a game of lateral thinking. Today's board relies heavily on your ability to recognize words that function as different parts of speech. One minute you're looking at a noun, and the next, it’s a verb that completely changes the grouping.
The difficulty curve today is weirdly steep in the middle. Usually, there's a "gimme" category that everyone spots in ten seconds. Today? Not so much. The "Yellow" group—traditionally the easiest—is actually a bit slippery because it uses words that we use every day but rarely group together in this specific context.
A Nudge in the Right Direction
If you’re looking for a broad hint without spoiling the whole thing, think about scarcity. Or rather, the lack of something. Some of the words today describe a situation where you're just... short. You don't have enough. You're lacking.
Another tip: look at the words that feel like they belong in a "business" or "finance" setting. But wait. Are they actually about money, or are they about the actions performed in an office? Sometimes the New York Times likes to trick you by putting four words that look like they belong in a bank, but three of them are actually synonyms for "holding something up."
The Breadcrumbs: Hints by Color
Let’s break this down by the colors we all chase.
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The Yellow Group (Easiest-ish)
Think about when something isn't quite right. It’s missing. It’s "thin." If you were looking at a bank account or a pantry, what words would you use to say there's a gap?
The Green Group
This one is for the hobbyists. If you’re into DIY, or maybe if you've ever had to fix something around the house, these words will resonate. They aren't the tools themselves, but rather the things those tools create or the components you’re working with.
The Blue Group
This is where it gets cheeky. These words all share a common "partner" word. Think of a word that could follow each of these to make a well-known phrase or a compound word. Hint: It’s something you might find in a deck or a structure.
The Purple Group (The "Wait, What?" Category)
Purple is usually about wordplay. Today is no different. You need to look at the structure of the words themselves. Or, perhaps, think about what happens when you add a specific letter or sound to the beginning or end. Actually, for today, think about homophones. Words that sound like other things, specifically in the world of animals or nature.
Why Today’s Grid is Tripping People Up
The word "WANT" is the biggest red herring on the board. Most people see "WANT" and immediately think of "NEED" or "DESIRE." But in the context of this puzzle, "WANT" is used in its more archaic or formal sense—as in "to be in want of something." It’s a synonym for "LACK" or "SHORTAGE."
Then you have the word "BRIDGE." It’s such a versatile word. It’s a game. It’s a structure. It’s part of a song. It’s a dental appliance. When you see a word with that many meanings, it’s almost always the "pivot" word for the Blue or Purple category. Don't commit to "BRIDGE" until you've cleared the simpler groups.
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Real-World Context: The Science of Word Association
Psychologists often talk about "semantic networks." This is basically the map in your brain where "Apple" is connected to "Red," "Fruit," and "Teacher." The NYT Connections puzzle works by forcing you to bypass the strongest connections (Apple -> Fruit) and find the weaker, more obscure ones (Apple -> Computer, Big, Adam's).
According to Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, a renowned expert in human memory, our brains are wired to find patterns even where they don't exist. This is called apophenia. It’s why you might swear that "BREAD," "ROLL," "BUN," and "DOUGH" are a category, even if the puzzle actually wants "BREAD" to be part of "Money Slang" and "ROLL" to be part of "Actions a Dog Does."
Deep Dive into the Solutions
If you've tried everything and you’re about to throw your phone across the room, here is the breakdown of what is actually happening in the January 17 grid.
The "Lacking" Category (Yellow)
This group consists of:
- DEFICIT
- LACK
- SHORTAGE
- WANT
This is a classic "synonym" group. The trick here was "WANT," which most modern speakers don't use to mean "shortage" very often. If you caught that, the rest of the group fell into place pretty easily.
The "Fastener" Category (Green)
This group consists of:
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- ANCHOR
- BUTTON
- HITCH
- TIE
These are all things that keep something else in place. An anchor keeps a boat still; a hitch connects a trailer; a button holds your shirt together. It’s a very "functional" category.
The "Bridge" Category (Blue)
This group consists of:
- DENTAL
- GOLDEN GATE
- SUSPENSION
- WATER UNDER THE
This is the "Words that go with Bridge" category. It’s a bit of a mix—you have a specific bridge (Golden Gate), a type of bridge (Suspension), a medical term (Dental), and part of an idiom (Water Under The). This is classic Blue-level difficulty because the connection isn't a synonym; it's a shared relationship with an external word.
The "Animal Homophones" (Purple)
This group consists of:
- BARE (Bear)
- DEAR (Deer)
- FLEA (Flee)
- HOARSE (Horse)
This is a brilliant Purple category. At first glance, these words have nothing in common. "Bare" is an adjective, "Flea" is a noun, "Dear" is an expression of endearment. But when you say them out loud, the animal theme emerges. This is why some people find it helpful to actually whisper the words to themselves while playing.
How to Get Better at Connections
If today was a struggle, don't sweat it. The game is designed to be tricky. To improve, you have to start thinking like a puzzle constructor.
- Don't click immediately. Even if you see four words that seem to fit, wait. Look at the remaining twelve words. Does one of those also fit into your group? If so, you've found a red herring.
- Say the words out loud. As seen in the Purple category today, homophones are a favorite trick of the NYT.
- Check for compound words. Always ask yourself if a word can be preceded or followed by a common term (like "Fire," "Water," or "Bridge").
- Ignore the "theme" you think you see. Sometimes the grid looks like it's all about movies or all about food. Usually, only three words will fit that theme, and the fourth will be a trap.
The most important thing to remember is that Connections is a game of elimination. Often, the easiest way to solve the hard categories is to be absolutely certain about the easy ones first. By clearing the "Lacking" and "Fastener" groups today, the "Bridge" and "Animal Homophones" groups became much more obvious by default.
Actionable Steps for Tomorrow's Puzzle
- Read a variety of sources. The NYT loves to use words from different niches—sailing, cooking, music theory, and 1950s slang are all fair game.
- Practice lateral thinking puzzles. Websites like Braingle or even basic riddles can help retrain your brain to look for non-obvious connections.
- Don't use your hints too early. Save your "mistakes" for when you're down to the final eight words. That’s when the overlaps are most dangerous.
- Track your patterns. If you always miss the "Words that follow X" category, spend extra time looking for those tomorrow.
The January 17 puzzle was a masterclass in using common words in uncommon ways. Whether it was the archaic use of "WANT" or the phonetic trickery of "HOARSE," it required a flexible mind. Go take a break, let your brain reset, and get ready for tomorrow's grid. It’s a new chance to beat the board.