Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsNYT Connections puzzle #938, dated Sunday, January 4, 2026, groups its words around a paper publication, a spool, defensive football actions, and words that gain a synonym for “butt” when their first letter is removed. Spoilers follow, with hints first.
Hints for Connections #938
- Yellow: Think of types of printed publications.
- Green: These words can describe actions involving thread or a spool.
- Blue: Each word is something a defensive football player might do.
- Purple: Remove the first letter of each word; what remains can mean “butt.”
Connections answers for January 4, 2026
The reported solution for puzzle #938 is:
| Category | Words |
|---|---|
| Paper publication | COPY, EDITION, ISSUE, PRINT |
| Spool | COIL, CRANK, REEL, WIND |
| Things a defensive football player does | BLITZ, BLOCK, SACK, TACKLE |
| Synonyms for “butt” after removing the first letter | DREAR, ETAIL, GRUMP, SCAN |
How the tricky groups work
Paper publication
COPY, EDITION, ISSUE, and PRINT all fit the idea of a paper publication. COPY, PRINT, and SCAN may also suggest printer functions, but SCAN does not belong in this group.
Spool
COIL, CRANK, REEL, and WIND are associated with a spool. The words point to winding or handling material on a spool rather than to one shared part of a printer.
Defensive football actions
BLITZ, BLOCK, SACK, and TACKLE are actions a defensive football player may perform.
#1 Best Overall
Remove the first letter
Drop the opening letter from each word to get DREAR → REAR, ETAIL → TAIL, GRUMP → RUMP, and SCAN → CAN. The resulting words can all mean “butt.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to check a candidate group
When several words seem to fit a tempting theme, test whether the same explanation accounts for all four without stretching a meaning. A printer-function idea explains only a partial set here; the paper-publication category accounts for COPY, EDITION, ISSUE, and PRINT together.
The reported date and answer set are consistent across two secondary answer guides. Another result labels the same puzzle and answers January 4, 2025; that conflicts with the two references identifying puzzle #938 as January 4, 2026. The cited guides are not an official NYT archive.
Sources: Answer guide 1; Answer guide 2; Conflicting date reference.
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