Do you like making connections in life? No, I am not talking about the ones on LinkedIn, but NYT’s much-hyped Connections game. Unlike the social media app, creating a connection in the game is pretty easy as you need to categorize four similar words into a category. It’s a simple yet challenging game that can test your wits as well as your vocabulary skills. So, without any further ado, here are the answers and hints for today’s NYT Connections #964 for January 30, 2026.

NYT Connections #974 Hints, Answers Today – February 9, 2026 - 1

Today’s NYT Connections #964 Hints for January 30, 2026

  • Yellow category hint : A localized or specific section of a larger space.
  • Green category hint: Tools found in a vanity or travel kit for personal maintenance.
  • Blue category hint : Items you might find yourself peeling or sticking to a surface.
  • Purple category hint: Each of these words can be followed by a four-letter word for part of your arm.

Did you guess all the words? Let’s take a look at them below.

Today’s NYT Connections #964 Answer for January 30, 2026

  • Yellow Category: AREA, CLUSTER, PATCH, POCKET (REGION)
  • Green Category : COMB, COMPACT, NAIL FILE, TWEEZERS (GROOMING ITEMS)
  • Blue Category: BAND-AID, LINT ROLLER, STICKER, TAPE (THINGS WITH ADHESIVE SURFACES)
  • Purple Category: HELPING, MINUTE, POKER, UPPER (___HAND)

What do you think of today’s NYT Connections puzzle?

Today’s Connections felt like a masterclass in “hidden in plain sight.” The Green and Blue categories shared some overlapping “utility drawer” vibes, making it easy to misplace an item or two if you moved too quickly. Yellow was the most straightforward, grounding the puzzle with clear synonyms. However, Purple provided the ultimate “aha” moment; it required looking past the definitions of the words to see how they function as modifiers. It was a clever, cohesive grid, earning a solid 4 out of 5 for its elegant design.

You can also checkout today’s answers for other NYT puzzles :

  • NYT Strands Puzzle Answers
  • NYT Wordle Answers
  • NYT Spelling Bee Answers
  • NYT PIPS Answers
  • NYT Mini Crossword

How to Play NYT Connections

Playing NYT Connections is pretty straightforward, as you need to group four similar words in a single group . However, the difficulty increases, with the yellow category being the easiest and purple being the hardest. The green category refers to moderate difficulty, while blue is complex, being one notch above.

There are 16 words in each puzzle , and there is a theme for each group, although the puzzle doesn’t reveal it. You only get four chances to correctly guess every group’s meaning; you can have four incorrect guesses, so use them wisely. If the answer is correct, you can move on to the next group; otherwise, you are stuck with the same one.

Moreover, just like Wordle, Connections refreshes every 24 hours, so you will need to wait till the next day for a fresh one. Also, if you guess incorrectly, there’s no way to play the game again, and it will simply reveal the correct results.

While playing the game itself does not require an NYT connection, you will need to create one if you wish to track your progress. You can also share your results by copying them to the clipboard and pasting them wherever you want.