Spoilers ahead: This guide starts with gentle hints for the Tuesday, January 27, 2026 NYT Connections puzzle (#961), then reveals the categories and all 16 answers below.
Hints for Connections #961
- One group describes a funny or entertaining person.
- Look for a hockey connection in another set.
- Some words begin familiar Robin Hood character names or titles.
- The last group starts with words for baseball gear or equipment.
Category names
Stop here if you only wanted a nudge. The four category labels are:
- QUITE THE LAUGH
- NHL TEAM MEMBER
- FIRST WORDS OF ROBIN HOOD CHARACTER NAMES
- STARTING WITH BASEBALL GEAR
All answers for January 27, 2026
The words divide into these four groups:
- QUITE THE LAUGH: CARD, CHARACTER, CUTUP, JOKER
- NHL TEAM MEMBER: DEVIL, FLYER, PENGUIN, RANGER
- FIRST WORDS OF ROBIN HOOD CHARACTER NAMES: FRIAR, MAID, ROBIN, SHERIFF
- STARTING WITH BASEBALL GEAR: BALLROOM, BASEMENT, BATMOBILE, CAPSTONE
Why the groups fit
Quite the laugh
A card, character, cutup, or joker can each mean a funny or entertaining person.
NHL team member
Devil, Flyer, Penguin, and Ranger each correspond to an NHL team name and its associated member or mascot.
#1 Best Overall
First words of Robin Hood character names
These are the opening words of familiar names or titles associated with Robin Hood: Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, Robin Hood, and the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Starting with baseball gear
Each word begins with a baseball-related term: ball, base, bat, or cap.
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The misleading connection
ROBIN, BATMOBILE, PENGUIN, and JOKER may suggest Batman, but they do not form a group in this puzzle. The actual sets use ROBIN in the Robin Hood group, PENGUIN in the NHL group, JOKER in the funny-person group, and BATMOBILE in the baseball-prefix group.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Connections works
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four that share a connection. The groups are color-coded by difficulty, and you can make up to four mistakes. The puzzle is available through NYT Games on desktop and mobile, according to the guides covering this puzzle.
Quick Recap
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