Connections Hints

Saturday, January 31, 2026

Words from the NYT Connections puzzle — January 31, 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.

BALL
BRUSH
COMPUTER KEY
DRESS
FLUCTUATION
MIXER
PALETTE KNIFE
RECEPTION
ROLLER
SHOWER
SLINGSHOT
SPRAY CAN
STETHOSCOPE
TUNING FORK
WISHBONE
WORK PERIOD
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Themes

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

KINDS OF PARTIESStraightforward
WAYS TO APPLY PAINTModerate
Y-SHAPED THINGSTricky
WHAT "SHIFT" MIGHT REFER TODevious
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One word per group

Theme name plus one word from each category.

KINDS OF PARTIESStraightforward
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOCIAL GATHERINGS YOU MIGHT BE INVITED TO+ 3 more…
WAYS TO APPLY PAINTModerate
TOOLS AND METHODS AN ARTIST USES TO GET COLOR ONTO A CANVAS+ 3 more…
Y-SHAPED THINGSTricky
OBJECTS THAT SHARE A FORKED, TWO-PRONGED SHAPE+ 3 more…
WHAT "SHIFT" MIGHT REFER TODevious
THE WORD 'SHIFT' CAN MEAN EACH OF THESE FOUR THINGS+ 3 more…
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Full solution
KINDS OF PARTIESStraightforward
BALL,MIXER,RECEPTION,SHOWER

BALL, MIXER, RECEPTION, and SHOWER are all specific kinds of parties or social events

WAYS TO APPLY PAINTModerate
BRUSH,PALETTE KNIFE,ROLLER,SPRAY CAN

BRUSH, PALETTE KNIFE, ROLLER, and SPRAY CAN are all tools or techniques used to apply paint to a surface

Y-SHAPED THINGSTricky
SLINGSHOT,STETHOSCOPE,TUNING FORK,WISHBONE

SLINGSHOT, STETHOSCOPE, TUNING FORK, and WISHBONE all have a distinctive Y-shaped form

WHAT "SHIFT" MIGHT REFER TODevious
COMPUTER KEY,DRESS,FLUCTUATION,WORK PERIOD

SHIFT can refer to a COMPUTER KEY (Shift key), a DRESS (a shift dress), a FLUCTUATION (a shift in values), or a WORK PERIOD (working the night shift)

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