NYT Connections is the daily word game that asks you to sort 16 seemingly unrelated words into four logical groups of four. For 02 January 2026, the puzzle blended abstract ideas, cultural references, and clever wordplay. Some categories felt instantly familiar, while others required a second look. Below, you’ll find spoiler-free hints first, followed by the full answers.

NYT Connections Puzzle Overview: 02 January 2026

Today’s grid leaned heavily on language and interpretation, mixing literal actions with abstract ideas and a playful final category. Many solvers likely cruised through the first couple of groups before slowing down on the more deceptive wordplay, especially toward the end.

NYT Connections Hints: 02 January 2026

Category 1:
  • Think about putting thoughts down on paper
  • All words describe documenting something
  • Often used with information or observations
  • Common in journaling or note-taking
Category 2:
  • Related to performance or comedy
  • Often repeated as part of an act
  • Can describe a familiar pattern
  • Common in entertainment contexts
Category 3:
  • Associated with evaluation or comparison
  • Used to judge quality or performance
  • Often applied in testing or analysis
  • Indicates a reference point
Category 4:
  • Each word comes from something edible
  • A letter has been removed
  • The originals are all from the same food category
  • The missing letter appears at the start

NYT Connections Answers: 02 January 2026

Here are the answers for today, grouped by category:

Category 1:
Category 2:
Category 3:
Category 4:

Conclusion & Quick Strategy Tip

Today’s puzzle offered a pleasant mix of trivia and orthographic trickery — approachable if you spotted the obvious categories, trickier if you focused only on letters. Quick strategy tip: when a cluster looks like trivia, scan for proper names first; when letters look odd, test pronunciations and small edits.