NYT Connections puzzle #960 is labeled Monday, January 26, 2026. Below are four spoiler-light group hints first, followed by the category names and complete answer sets. The puzzle date is January 26; TechRadar published its report on January 25, noting that the game can refresh at midnight in each time zone.
How Connections works
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four based on a shared idea. You can make up to four mistakes, and wordplay or overlapping associations can make a group less obvious. TechRadar described this puzzle as tricky; its reporter said they first chose BADGE instead of BUFFALO for DAUNT, then spotted BADGER as a clue to the purple group.
The 16 words
FOSTER, COW, BADGE, MILK, RABBI, RATTLE, FIELD, MOOS, SQUEEZE, CLOSE, RUFFLE, FLEECE, WEAVER, DRAIN, GOA, BUFFALO.
Hints for each group
These clues avoid naming the categories or giving away the word sets:
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- Yellow: Take advantage of someone.
- Green: Stir up a situation.
- Blue: Silver screen females.
- Purple: Beasts with missing end.
Spoilers: category names and answers
The full groupings below are corroborated by TechRadar’s January 25 report and Sunday Guardian Live’s January 26 listing.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | EXPLOIT | DRAIN, FLEECE, MILK, SQUEEZE |
| Green | DAUNT | BUFFALO, COW, RATTLE, RUFFLE |
| Blue | ICONIC ACTRESSES | CLOSE, FIELD, FOSTER, WEAVER |
| Purple | MAMMALS MINUS LAST LETTER | BADGE, GOA, MOOS, RABBI |
Why the purple group works
Each entry is a mammal name with its final letter removed: BADGER becomes BADGE, GOAT becomes GOA, MOOSE becomes MOOS, and RABBIT becomes RABBI. The blue answers are surnames of iconic actresses: Glenn Close, Sally Field, Jodie Foster, and Sigourney Weaver.
Quick Recap
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