The NYT Connections puzzle for Friday, January 2, 2026, is game #936. Its four groups are WRITE, SHTICK, BENCHMARK, and VEGETABLES MINUS STARTING LETTER. If you want to solve it yourself, use the spoiler-safe clues below before opening the categories or complete answers.
Spoiler-safe hints for Connections #936
These clues reveal the idea behind each color without giving away the four category names:
- Yellow: Capture your thoughts or put pen to paper.
- Green: A comedian’s or performer’s recurring bit.
- Blue: A point of reference used for comparison.
- Purple: Vegetable names with their first letter removed.
The four categories
| Color | Category | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | WRITE | Words that can mean putting information into writing. |
| Green | SHTICK | Terms for a prepared comic, stage or performance piece. |
| Blue | BENCHMARK | Words that can function as a comparison point or measure. |
| Purple | VEGETABLES MINUS STARTING LETTER | Vegetable names after their first character is deleted. |
Complete Connections #936 answers
| Category | Words | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| WRITE | JOT, LOG, NOTE, RECORD | Each can describe putting information in writing. You can jot or note something, log it, or record it. |
| SHTICK | BIT, GAG, NUMBER, ROUTINE | A bit, gag or routine can be a recurring comic act. In performance usage, a number can mean a prepared stage or musical act. |
| BENCHMARK | BAR, EXAMPLE, METRIC, STANDARD | A bar, example, metric or standard can provide a reference against which something is judged or compared. |
| VEGETABLES MINUS STARTING LETTER | ALE, EEK, HIVE, QUASH | Restore the missing first letter: ALE becomes KALE, EEK becomes LEEK, HIVE becomes CHIVE, and QUASH becomes SQUASH. |
How the solve comes together
1. Lock in WRITE with the clearest verbs
JOT and NOTE immediately suggest writing. LOG and RECORD share the same information-entry meaning, completing the yellow group.
2. Spot BENCHMARK among the comparison words
BAR and STANDARD both suggest a level used for judging performance. METRIC supplies a measurement, while an EXAMPLE can serve as a reference point, giving the blue group its four members.
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3. Test the unusual purple words as deletions
QUASH looks out of place until you add an initial S to make SQUASH. The same operation turns ALE into KALE, EEK into LEEK, and HIVE into CHIVE. This is a wordplay category rather than a literal one.
4. Use the remaining performance terms for SHTICK
Once the writing, comparison and deletion groups are removed, BIT, GAG, NUMBER and ROUTINE remain. Together they describe prepared comic or stage material. “Number” is the potential trap because it can also mean a numeral, but in entertainment it means an act or performance.
Why the puzzle can feel tricky
- NUMBER invites a mathematical reading even though it belongs with performance terms.
- EXAMPLE is broad enough to resemble an illustration rather than a benchmark.
- The purple group is based on deleting letters, so ALE, EEK, HIVE and QUASH do not look like vegetable names at first glance.
- Connections allows only three incorrect guesses; a fourth wrong guess ends the game. The puzzle has one correct solution and deliberately includes red herrings.
Playing the puzzle and accessing older games
Connections is a free New York Times game available through the NYT website and Games app. The archive is available to NYT Games or All Access subscribers, so access to older puzzles such as #936 depends on that subscription status.
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