NYT Connections puzzle #959 for Sunday, January 25, 2026, groups its tiles around backup roles, PC keyboard keys, pasta shapes, and suffixes. Start with the graduated hints below; the complete groups and answers are farther down.
Hints for Connections #959
Try each clue before moving to the next. The hints go from a nudge toward each category to its direct theme.
- Yellow: Think of someone filling in for another worker.
- Green: Keys or shortcuts you might use while typing on a PC.
- Blue: Different shapes of an Italian staple.
- Purple: Word endings that can be added to other words.
Category names
- Yellow: Act as a backup
- Green: PC keyboard keys
- Blue: Pasta shapes
- Purple: Suffixes
Full answers for Sunday, January 25
Spoilers below: the four groups in Connections #959 are:
- Act as a backup: COVER, FILL IN, SUB, TEMP
- PC keyboard keys: ALT, ENTER, MENU, WINDOWS
- Pasta shapes: BOWTIE, RIBBON, SHELL, TUBE
- Suffixes: ATE, DOM, HOOD, SHIP
These assignments are reported consistently by TechRadar, Forbes, and Try Hard Guides, whose guides were published January 24, ahead of the puzzle date.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
How to read the clues
The backup-role group uses words and phrases for standing in or taking another person’s place. The keyboard group collects named PC keys; the pasta group links four shape names. The final set works differently: ATE, DOM, HOOD, and SHIP are endings that form words when attached to other word stems.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
