NYT Connections Puzzle #938: January 4 Hints and Solutions Guide

The NYT Connections puzzle, a popular word game, has garnered significant attention. This engaging game challenges players to identify common threads among various words. Each day, the puzzle resets after midnight, presenting new challenges for players. On January 4, 2026, Connections #938 offered players a chance to test their skills.

What is the NYT Connections Puzzle?

Connections is an innovative word game created by Wyna Liu, an associate puzzle editor at The New York Times. The game is designed to be played on both web browsers and mobile devices.

In each round, players encounter 16 words. Their task is to group these into sets of four that share a common theme. These themes can range from book titles to sports terms, and even country names.

Game Mechanics

• Players aim to find four words that connect in some way.
• A total of four mistakes are allowed before the game ends.
• Words can be rearranged to help discover connections.
• The groupings feature a color code: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple.

Sharing results on social media is encouraged, much like the popular Wordle game. It creates a sense of community among players eager to compare their results.

Hints for January 4 Connections #938

For those looking for guidance, hints about the puzzle’s categories for January 4, 2026, are provided below:

• Yellow: Paper publications
• Green: Spool
• Blue: Actions of a defensive football player
• Purple: Synonyms for ‘butt’ plus starting letter

Solutions for Today’s Puzzle

Ready for the solutions? Here are the correct groupings for today’s Connections #938:

If you’re still working through the puzzle, don’t be discouraged. There will be new Connections puzzles to explore each day. El-Balad will continue to provide helpful hints and strategies for players. Stay tuned for the next challenge!