Struggling with the NYT Connections hints January 27 puzzle? You aren’t alone. Today’s grid is a deceptive mix of culinary terms, pop culture nods, and wordplay that might leave your streak in jeopardy. Whether you are stuck on the Blue group’s phrasing or trying to figure out how The Shining fits into your morning coffee routine, we have you covered.
In this guide, we provide spoiler-free hints first, followed by a breakdown of the four categories, and finally, the complete solution. Let’s keep that winning streak alive.
Table of Contents
Today’s NYT Connections Hints: (January 27)
Before we reveal the full answers, here are some nudges to help you solve the grid on your own. Use these clues to separate the Red Herrings from the real connections.
Yellow Group Hint
This category is all about testing things out. Think about eating, but not a full meal just a little try.
- Keywords to look for: Tiny portions, testing flavor, appetizers.
Green Group Hint
Look for words that describe natural armor. These are things you find on the outside of plants or animals to keep them safe.
- Keywords to look for: Exteriors, shields, biology.
Blue Group Hint
This one is tricky. The words themselves don’t form a group by meaning, but they combine to form a specific, well-known 4-word phrase found in your kitchen pantry.
- Keywords to look for: Cooking, distinct purity, liquid gold.
Purple Group Hint
Cinephiles, this one is for you. All four items are iconic elements from a specific classic horror movie directed by Stanley Kubrick.
- Keywords to look for: Redrum, Overlook Hotel, Jack Nicholson.
NYT Connections Answers January 27 (Spoiler Warning)
If the hints above weren’t enough and you are down to your last mistake, here are the official groups and answers for the NYT Connections January 27 puzzle.
Yellow Group: Small Amount of Food to Try
- BITE
- MOUTHFUL
- SAMPLE
- TASTE
Green Group: Protective Coverings in Nature
- BARK
- SCALES
- SHELL
- SKIN
Blue Group: “Extra Virgin Olive Oil”
- EXTRA
- OIL
- OLIVE
- VIRGIN
Purple Group: Seen in “The Shining”
- AXE
- HEDGE MAZE
- TWINS
- TYPEWRITER
Analysis of Today’s Puzzle Categories:
Today’s game (January 27) required a mix of lateral thinking and pop culture knowledge. Here is a breakdown of why this grid was particularly challenging for many players.
The “Fill-in-the-Blank” Blue Category
The Blue group today was a classic “Word Association” trap. Solvers often look for synonyms, but the editors (led by Wyna Liu) love to throw in categories where the words form a phrase.
- Why it was hard: Words like EXTRA and VIRGIN look unrelated in isolation. Unless you spot the sequence “Extra Virgin Olive Oil,” these words seem like total outliers. EXTRA could have been a red herring for “More” or “Bonus,” while VIRGIN often traps players into looking for zodiac signs or purity themes.
The Purple Pop Culture Test
The Purple category is notoriously the hardest, and today it relied on specific knowledge of the 1980 film The Shining.
- The Connection: The TYPEWRITER (famous for “All work and no play”), the AXE (Here’s Johnny!), the creepy TWINS, and the HEDGE MAZE finale are all pillars of the film’s imagery.
- The Trap: If you haven’t seen the movie, AXE might have looked like a tool (Green group?) and TWINS might have paired with SCALES for a Zodiac red herring (Gemini/Libra).
Natural Red Herrings
The Green group (Protective Coverings) had potential crossovers. BARK could have been a sound (dog-related), and SKIN is often used in idioms. The key was realizing that SCALES, SHELL, and BARK all share the biological function of protection.
3 Pro Strategies to Win NYT Connections:
If you want to improve your stats and solve the puzzle without using hints in the future, apply these semantic SEO-backed strategies:
1. The “Shuffle” is Your Friend
Our brains are wired to see patterns in proximity. The puzzle constructors intentionally place misleading words next to each other (e.g., placing AXE next to BARK to make you think of trees).
- Action: Hit the Shuffle button immediately to break these forced visual associations.
2. Solve the “Purple” First (Mentally)
The Purple category usually involves wordplay, fill-in-the-blanks, or specific trivia. It is rarely a simple synonym list.
- Tip: Scan the board for words that have no obvious synonyms. If you see a word like TYPEWRITER or HEDGE MAZE that doesn’t fit a “Food” or “Nature” theme, ask yourself: What pop culture entity does this belong to?
3. Beware the “One Away” Message
If you guess four words and get the “One Away” notification, stop immediately. Do not just swap one word randomly.
- The Fix: You likely have 3 correct words and 1 intruder that belongs to another group (a “crossover” word). Look for a fifth word on the board that fits the same definition and swap it in.
Final Thoughts on January 27:
The January 27 Connections puzzle was a solid challenge that balanced biological knowledge with film trivia. The “Olive Oil” phrase was the likely stumbling block for many. Did you catch the Shining reference immediately, or did the HEDGE MAZE leave you lost?
Check back tomorrow for more hints, strategies, and solutions for the Daily Connections puzzle.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When does the NYT Connections puzzle reset?
The [Insert Link: NYT Games] update daily at midnight local time. However, many players access the new puzzle earlier by changing their device’s time zone or waiting for the global rollout at midnight ET.
How many mistakes are allowed in Connections?
You are allowed four mistakes. On the fourth mistake, the game ends, and the answers are revealed automatically. The goal is to organize all 16 words into four groups without burning your lives.
Is there an archive of past Connections puzzles?
Currently, the New York Times does not offer an official archive for Connections in the same way they do for the Crossword. However, third-party sites and blogs (like this one) maintain logs of past NYT Connections hints and answers.
