Need help with NYT Connections #962 for Wednesday, January 28, 2026? Start with these spoiler-safe hints, then reveal the complete groups when you are ready. This is the 2026 puzzle numbered #962, not the January 28, 2025 game, which was #597.
January 28 Connections hints
Connections asks you to divide 16 words into four groups of four. The groups in today’s puzzle range from a straightforward meaning-based set to a wordplay category built from phrases.
Yellow-group hint
These words describe something false, copied, simulated, or not genuine.
One-word hint: PRETEND
Green-group hint
Look for ordinary items that can be used while cleaning.
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- THREE SPEED THREE SIZES OPTIONS - Balanced tonearm with lifting arm control, support adjusting 3 listening speeds(33-1/3, 45 and 78 RPM) and playing 3 sizes(7'', 10'' and 12'') of records, let you enjoy your entire record collection
- WIRELESS INPUT PAIRING - Not only can play vinyl records to experience the retro-style music and atmosphere, but you can also play all your favorite music at any time via a Wireless connection, playing music from mobile phones or other audio devices
- BELT-DRIVEN ANTI-VIBRATION SYSTEM - The turntable base is equipped with a spring and belt-driven design to provide shock absorption and improve sound quality. An easily removable dust cover protects your vinyl records from damage
- BUILT-IN SPEAKER AND VERSATILE - Dynamic full range stereo speaker provide sound for daily leisure listening. Don't worry if you don't have extra speakers. Or your can connect to external powered speakers via RCA output to get better sound. AUX and BT playback is also a way to play music. All-in-one turntable - Easy to set up and use, suitable for beginners
One-word hint: GLOVES
Blue-group hint
Four words are parts of a machine used to play vinyl records. Two of them are especially strong clues: one carries the stylus, and one is the rotating surface.
One-word hint: NEEDLE
Purple-group hint
Put the same word before each remaining answer. The resulting phrases include a request, a cut of meat, a period of free time, and an emergency replacement wheel.
One-word hint: TIME
The 16 words in Connections #962
| Words | Words | Words | Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIB | MOTOR | MOCK | TIRE |
| PLATTER | RAG | NEEDLE | GLOVES |
| SHAM | BUCKET | PRETEND | TIME |
| SOAP | DUMMY | TONEARM | ME |
Spoiler warning: complete answers
Stop here if you only wanted hints. The full groups and explanations are below.
Yellow: IMITATION
DUMMY, MOCK, PRETEND, SHAM
Each word relates to something false, copied, simulated, or not genuine. A dummy can be a substitute or imitation; mock can mean an imitation; pretend describes acting as though something is true; and a sham is a fake or fraudulent version of something.
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Rank #2
- Experience the high-fidelity audio of vinyl
- Fully automatic belt-drive turntable operation with two speeds: 33-1/3, 45 RPM
- Anti-resonance, die-cast aluminum platter
- Redesigned tonearm base and headshell for improved tracking and reduced resonance
- Integral Dual Magnet phono cartridge with replaceable diamond stylus (ATN3600LC)
Green: CLEANING SUPPLIES
BUCKET, GLOVES, RAG, SOAP
These are common cleaning supplies or implements. RAG is the main trap here: it can suggest mockery or ridicule because “rag” can also be used as a verb meaning to tease or criticize. In this group, it means a cloth used for cleaning.
Blue: COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER
MOTOR, NEEDLE, PLATTER, TONEARM
A record player or turntable uses a motor to drive the rotation, a platter to hold the record, and a tonearm that carries the cartridge and stylus. Needle is the familiar everyday term for the stylus that tracks the record groove.
NEEDLE can easily send you toward sewing or medical vocabulary, but the combination of TONEARM and PLATTER makes the record-player connection clear.
Purple: SPARE ___
ME, RIB, TIME, TIRE
Each word follows spare to form a familiar phrase:
- spare me
- spare rib
- spare time
- spare tire
This is the wordplay-heavy group. Unlike the other categories, the four answers are not ordinary members of one object class; they are phrase completions.
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Rank #3
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- 【THREE-SPEED & THREE-SIZES TURNTABLE】Support 3-Size of 7/10/12″records and 3-Speed of 33/45/78 RMP playing speeds. Belt-driven system matches technical Anti-Resonance design to achieve better sound quality to you
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- 【USEFUL KNOBS INCLUDED】An Auto-stop switch that stops spinning once the record playing at the end of the record. Quick mode switch(Bluetooth/Aux-in/Phono) for your simple use. Great to use it when you need relaxation, party and gathering etc
How to solve this puzzle efficiently
- Take the strongest semantic cluster first. DUMMY, MOCK, PRETEND, and SHAM all point toward imitation.
- Separate practical objects from misleading meanings. BUCKET, GLOVES, RAG, and SOAP form the cleaning set once RAG is read as a cloth rather than as a verb related to mockery.
- Use the specialist vocabulary as an anchor. TONEARM is unusually specific. Pair it with NEEDLE, then look for the other record-player components: MOTOR and PLATTER.
- Test the remaining words as a phrase pattern. ME, RIB, TIME, and TIRE all follow SPARE.
What makes #962 tricky?
The puzzle’s traps mostly come from words that have several common meanings. RAG can evoke ridicule as well as cleaning. NEEDLE may suggest sewing or medicine before the record-player category emerges. The purple group is difficult for a different reason: spare me, spare rib, spare time, and spare tire do not look related until you identify the shared preceding word.
After checking the answers, readers who want to play the game can play Connections through the official NYT Games website or app, subject to the New York Times’ current access and subscription terms.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
What is the answer to Connections #962 for January 28, 2026?
The groups are IMITATION — DUMMY, MOCK, PRETEND, SHAM; CLEANING SUPPLIES — BUCKET, GLOVES, RAG, SOAP; COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER — MOTOR, NEEDLE, PLATTER, TONEARM; and SPARE ___ — ME, RIB, TIME, TIRE.
Is this the January 28, 2025 Connections puzzle?
No. This article covers the Wednesday, January 28, 2026 puzzle, game #962. The January 28, 2025 puzzle was #597.
Rank #4
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- Magnet type Cartridge and Adjustable Counterweight, Essentials for any serious classic turntable, These work to balance each channel and produce rich and warm audio, releasing authentic sound so you can find freedom from noise and distortion
- Wireless Streaming, Pair and play music from all your favorite devices like iPhone and Android smartphones, tablets, PCs, usb mp3 players through the turntable’s speakers using Bluetooth connection
- Audio-Technica Stylus, The diamond-tipped Audio-Technica stylus cartridge is designed to produce rich sound and outstanding clarity, tracking your record’s grooves with precision for accurate, high-definition audio
Why is RAG in the cleaning group?
Here, RAG means a cloth used for cleaning. It is a red herring because “rag” can also mean to tease, criticize, or mock, making it look related to the imitation group.
What does “spare” have to do with the purple group?
Each purple answer follows the word “spare”: spare me, spare rib, spare time, and spare tire.
The Bottom Line
The four Connections #962 groups are IMITATION, CLEANING SUPPLIES, COMPONENTS OF A RECORD PLAYER, and SPARE ___. The key deductions are the specific record-player term TONEARM and the phrase pattern SPARE ___.
Quick Recap
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