NYT Connections Answer

Welcome to another daily breakdown of the New York Times Connections puzzle! Today is January 20, 2026, and the board curated by editor Wyna Liu offers a delightful mix of structural landmarks, nature, and some very clever linguistic wordplay.

If you’re stuck on a particular group or just want to see the answer for 2026-01-20, you’ve come to the right place. Today’s puzzle ranges from straightforward synonyms to a Purple category that might make you tilt your head in realization.

Let's dive into the hints and solutions for today's grid.

Connections Hints for January 20, 2026

Before we reveal the full categories, here are some nudges to help you solve it on your own:

• Yellow Group Hint: Think about how you might handle a piece of thread, a rope, or hair to create a pattern or a knot.
• Green Group Hint: These are all specific species or common names for a buzzing insect that helps pollinate flowers.
• Blue Group Hint: You might want to take a walk across these famous architectural feats located in cities like London, Venice, or New York.
• Purple Group Hint: This is the "wordplay" category. Look at the first few letters of each word. They all share a meaning related to "longing" or "requiring."

Yellow: INTERTWINE

The yellow category is usually the most direct. These words all describe the physical action of wrapping things around one another.

• LACE
• TWIST
• WEAVE
• WIND

Why they fit: Whether you are weaving a basket, lacing your shoes, or winding a clock, these verbs all describe the act of looping and crossing materials together.

Green: KINDS OF BEES

Moving on to the green group, we look at nature. If you’ve spent any time in a garden, these names should ring a bell.

• BUMBLE
• CARPENTER
• HONEY
• KILLER

Why they fit: These are all common names for types of bees. From the fuzzy Bumble bee to the industrious Honey bee, and the slightly more intimidating Killer bee.

Blue: FAMOUS BRIDGES

This group requires a bit of general knowledge regarding world landmarks. These are all iconic structures spanning bodies of water.

• BROOKLYN (New York City)
• GOLDEN GATE (San Francisco)
• RIALTO (Venice)
• TOWER (London)

Why they fit: These are four of the most famous bridges in the world. If you were searching for an NYT Connections hint for this group, "Landmarks" or "Spans" would have been the key.

Purple: STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "HANKER FOR"

The purple category is today’s trickiest group. It relies on seeing a word within a word.

• CRAVEN (Crave)
• DESIREE (Desire)
• NEEDLE (Need)
• WANTON (Want)

Why they fit: Each word begins with a synonym for "to want" or "hanker for."

• CRAVE + n = Craven
• DESIRE + e = Desiree
• NEED + le = Needle
• WANT + on = Wanton

Quick Vocabulary Check:

• Craven: An adjective meaning contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.
• Wanton: (Of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked.

NYT Connections Answer for January 20, 2026

If you just want the quick list to check your work, here is the final solution for today's puzzle:

• INTERTWINE: LACE, TWIST, WEAVE, WIND
• KINDS OF BEES: BUMBLE, CARPENTER, HONEY, KILLER
• FAMOUS BRIDGES: BROOKLYN, GOLDEN GATE, RIALTO, TOWER
• STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "HANKER FOR": CRAVEN, DESIREE, NEEDLE, WANTON

Today's puzzle was a classic Wyna Liu construction! The "Bees" and "Bridges" categories were a great test of general knowledge, while the "Hanker For" wordplay was a satisfyingly difficult way to wrap things up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you play NYT Connections?

The goal is to find groups of four items that share something in common. Select four items and tap "Submit" to see if your guess is correct. You have four lives before the game ends.

What do the colors mean in Connections?

The colors represent the difficulty level:

• Yellow: Most straightforward/easiest.
• Green: Common knowledge/factual.
• Blue: More specific knowledge or larger sets.
• Purple: Wordplay, puns, or abstract connections (hardest).

When does the NYT Connections puzzle reset?

New puzzles are released every day at midnight in your local time zone.

Can there be more than one correct group?

While some words might seem to fit into multiple categories (for example, "Lace" could also relate to fabric), there is only one unique solution where every word fits into exactly one group of four.