Connections Hints

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — January 8, 2026

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Show the word gridAll 16 words — you figure out the groups
Show the themesCategory names only, no words revealed
One word per groupTheme name + one word per category
Full solutionAll words and explanations
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Word grid

All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.

AEROPLANE
CHILL
CLOTHESPIN
CROWBAR
DOVETAIL
GOOSEBUMP
HEATHERS
JAYWALK
LITTER
LOITER
MARSALA
SCISSORS
SEESAW
SHIVER
SPEED
TINGLE
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Themes

The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.

BIT OF A RESPONSE TO STRONG EMOTIONSStraightforward
BREAK THE RULESModerate
FIRST-CLASS LEVERSTricky
STARTING WITH CANDY BARSDevious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

BIT OF A RESPONSE TO STRONG EMOTIONSStraightforward
YOUR SKIN MIGHT DO THIS WHEN YOU HEAR SOMETHING THRILLING OR SPOOKY+ 3 more…
BREAK THE RULESModerate
MINOR INFRACTIONS YOU MIGHT COMMIT WITHOUT THINKING TWICE+ 3 more…
FIRST-CLASS LEVERSTricky
SIMPLE MACHINES WHERE THE FULCRUM SITS BETWEEN THE EFFORT AND LOAD+ 3 more…
STARTING WITH CANDY BARSDevious
EACH OF THESE WORDS IS PRECEDED BY THE NAME OF A CHOCOLATE BAR+ 3 more…
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Full solution
BIT OF A RESPONSE TO STRONG EMOTIONSStraightforward
CHILL,GOOSEBUMP,SHIVER,TINGLE

CHILL, GOOSEBUMP, SHIVER, and TINGLE are all physical sensations or reactions the body produces in response to strong emotions like excitement, fear, or awe.

BREAK THE RULESModerate
JAYWALK,LITTER,LOITER,SPEED

JAYWALK, LITTER, LOITER, and SPEED are all minor illegal activities or misdemeanors that people commonly break in everyday life.

FIRST-CLASS LEVERSTricky
CLOTHESPIN,CROWBAR,SCISSORS,SEESAW

CLOTHESPIN, CROWBAR, SCISSORS, and SEESAW are all examples of first-class levers, where the fulcrum is positioned between the effort force and the load.

STARTING WITH CANDY BARSDevious
AEROPLANE,DOVETAIL,HEATHERS,MARSALA

Each word follows a candy bar name: AERO+PLANE, DOVE+TAIL, HEATH+ERS, MARS+ALA — AERO, DOVE, HEATH, and MARS are all chocolate bars.

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