NYT Connections Answers January 19: Hints and solution revealed for the Monday puzzle #953

Spoiler warning means exactly that. If you want to solve today’s puzzle on your own, now is the time to stop reading. For those who are stuck, curious, or ready to check their answers, here’s a complete guide to today’s NYT Connections puzzle #953 for Monday, January 19, 2026.

The New York Times’ Connections continues to challenge players with clever word groupings that test logic, vocabulary, and pattern recognition. Today’s grid once again presents 16 seemingly ordinary words, hiding four distinct themes. Some links are easy to spot, while others demand a closer look.



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What is NYT Connections?

Connections is a daily word puzzle created by the New York Times Games team. Players are given 16 words and must sort them into four groups of four based on a shared connection.

Each correct group is locked in and assigned a difficulty color:

Yellow – easiest

Green – moderate

Blue – challenging

Purple – most abstract

While multiple groupings may seem possible, only one correct combination completes the puzzle.


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How to play NYT Connections

When the puzzle loads, players see a four-by-four grid of words. The task is to identify four words that share a clear relationship and submit them as a group.

Correct answers disappear and are labeled by category

Incorrect guesses count as mistakes

Players can make up to four mistakes before the game ends

The board can be shuffled to help reveal patterns

Like Wordle, Connections refreshes daily at midnight and allows just one attempt per day. The game is free to play on the NYT website and the NYT Games app.

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Today’s Connections hints for Monday, January 19, 2026

If you want guidance without full spoilers, try these category hints first, as per Mashable and Tech Radar:

Yellow: Novice

Green: A lump sum

Blue: Share the same measurement prefix

Purple: Begin with a speedy word

Today’s Connections categories

Need something more direct? Here are the official category themes for puzzle #953:

Yellow: Inexperienced

Green: ��

Blue: Measured by SI units

Purple: Words after “Quick”

If you’d rather solve it yourself, stop scrolling now. The answers are just below.

NYT Connections answers for January 19, 2026 (#953)

Here are the correct groupings for today’s puzzle:

Inexperienced: BUDDING, FRESH, NAIVE, NEW

��: BUNDLE, FORTUNE, MINT, WAD

Measured by SI units: CURRENT, LENGTH, MASS, TIME

Words after “Quick”: FIX, SAND, SILVER, STUDY

Whether you breezed through today’s grid or needed a few hints along the way, Connections #953 delivered a solid mix of straightforward and tricky wordplay. Come back tomorrow for a brand-new puzzle and a fresh challenge.

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FAQs

How many mistakes are allowed in NYT Connections?
Players can make up to four incorrect guesses before the puzzle ends.

Is NYT Connections free to play?
Yes, the game is available for free on the New York Times website and NYT Games app.