If you’re looking for help with NYT Connections #956, here are spoiler-free hints, followed by the full solutions to the puzzle.
🧩 Puzzle Board Words (January 22, 2026)
TIMER, FUMBLE, SPINY, SHARP, TURNOVER, ELLEN, CRISP, MISS, USE, CLEAR, COBBLER, TRIP, CRUMBLE, FLUFF, DISTINCT, STRUDEL
🔍 Category Types (Spoiler-Free)
| Color | Category Type |
|---|---|
| Yellow | Related adjectives |
| Green | Related nouns |
| Blue | Related verbs |
| Purple | Wordplay |
🟨 Yellow Category Hint
How to describe what a high-quality camera might capture.
🟩 Green Category Hint
Eaten after a meal, maybe with coffee or tea.
🟦 Blue Category Hint
“Oops!”
🟪 Purple Category Hint
You might see these names in checkout lines or airport bookstores — but there’s an extra bit.
⚠️ Important Notes Before You Solve
- TURNOVER and FUMBLE do not belong together.
- SHARP is not with SPINY.
SHARP is an antonym of something like fuzzy or blurry. - Remove one letter from ELLEN and you get a famous fashion magazine.
✅ Full Answers (Spoilers Below)
🟨 Yellow Category — Well-defined, as an image
CLEAR, CRISP, DISTINCT, SHARP
🟩 Green Category — Fruit desserts
COBBLER, CRUMBLE, STRUDEL, TURNOVER
🟦 Blue Category — Bungle
FLUFF, FUMBLE, MISS, TRIP
🟪 Purple Category — Magazines plus a letter
ELLEN, SPINY, TIMER, USE
