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Need help with NYT Connections #964 for Friday, January 30, 2026? The puzzle groups are REGION, GROOMING ITEMS, THINGS WITH ADHESIVE SURFACES, and phrases ending in HAND.
Try the graduated hints below before opening the complete answer. The full solution is clearly marked with a spoiler warning.
Connections #964: the 16 words
Here is the complete grid from the New York Times Connections puzzle released on January 30, 2026:
- MINUTE
- TAPE
- AREA
- COMPACT
- COMB
- POKER
- STICKER
- PATCH
- BAND-AID
- NAIL FILE
- LINT ROLLER
- UPPER
- CLUSTER
- HELPING
- TWEEZERS
Connections asks you to divide 16 words into four groups of four. Each group has a shared connection. The categories are color-coded by difficulty: yellow is usually the most straightforward, followed by green and blue, while purple is generally the most difficult or wordplay-heavy.
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The game has one intended solution, but the puzzle is deliberately built around misleading overlaps. A word may appear to fit more than one group until the remaining words reveal the stronger partition.
Hints for Connections #964
Use these in order. Each section gives a stronger clue without immediately giving away all four words.
Light hints
- Yellow: Think of a section, part, or bounded area.
- Green: These are small personal-care or grooming items.
- Blue: Each item has an adhesive or sticky surface.
- Purple: Put HAND before or after each word to make a familiar phrase.
One-word hints
If you need one example from each group:
- Yellow: POCKET
- Green: COMPACT
- Blue: STICKER
- Purple: UPPER
Spoilers: NYT Connections #964 answers
Stop here if you are still solving. The complete category names and word assignments appear below.
Yellow: REGION
AREA, CLUSTER, PATCH, POCKET
These words can describe a region, section, localized portion, or bounded area. An area is a section of space; a patch can be a portion of a surface or territory; a pocket can refer to a localized area; and a cluster describes a concentrated grouping or region.
Green: GROOMING ITEMS
COMB, COMPACT, NAIL FILE, TWEEZERS
All four are small, handheld personal-grooming items commonly found in a toiletry, beauty, or travel kit. A compact can contain a mirror or makeup, while a comb, nail file, and tweezers each serve a familiar grooming function.
Blue: THINGS WITH ADHESIVE SURFACES
BAND-AID, LINT ROLLER, STICKER, TAPE
Each item uses a sticky or adhesive surface. A Band-Aid adheres to skin, a lint roller picks up fibers with adhesive sheets, a sticker attaches to another surface, and tape is designed to hold, attach, or join things.
Purple: “___ HAND”
HELPING, MINUTE, POKER, UPPER
Each word forms a familiar phrase when followed by HAND:
- HELPING HAND
- MINUTE HAND
- POKER HAND
- UPPER HAND
How to solve this puzzle
- Start with the grooming set. COMB, COMPACT, NAIL FILE, and TWEEZERS have a clear shared purpose and form the most concrete group.
- Look for sticky surfaces. STICKER and TAPE point toward adhesion. BAND-AID and LINT ROLLER complete the set.
- Separate the regional words. AREA, CLUSTER, PATCH, and POCKET all describe a section, concentration, or localized portion.
- Use the remaining words as phrases. HELPING, MINUTE, POKER, and UPPER each pair naturally with HAND.
The main trap is PATCH. It can suggest something adhesive or attached, which makes it tempting to place beside BAND-AID, STICKER, and TAPE. In the final partition, however, PATCH belongs with AREA, CLUSTER, and POCKET in the REGION category. This is exactly the kind of plausible overlap that Connections uses to make the grid more challenging.
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| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | REGION | AREA, CLUSTER, PATCH, POCKET |
| Green | GROOMING ITEMS | COMB, COMPACT, NAIL FILE, TWEEZERS |
| Blue | THINGS WITH ADHESIVE SURFACES | BAND-AID, LINT ROLLER, STICKER, TAPE |
| Purple | “___ HAND” | HELPING, MINUTE, POKER, UPPER |
Want more Connections puzzles?
Readers who enjoy solving on paper can look for the Connections puzzle book, Connections: Find the Common Threads in 100+ Puzzles of Wit and Wordplay, published in the New York Times Games Books series. It is a separate collection of more than 100 puzzles; there is no claim here that it includes puzzle #964.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the answers to NYT Connections #964 on January 30, 2026?
The four groups are REGION: AREA, CLUSTER, PATCH, POCKET; GROOMING ITEMS: COMB, COMPACT, NAIL FILE, TWEEZERS; THINGS WITH ADHESIVE SURFACES: BAND-AID, LINT ROLLER, STICKER, TAPE; and “___ HAND”: HELPING, MINUTE, POKER, UPPER.
What is the purple category in Connections #964?
The purple category is “___ HAND.” The answers are HELPING HAND, MINUTE HAND, POKER HAND, and UPPER HAND.
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When does the NYT Connections puzzle change?
Connections puzzles are released at midnight in each player’s local time zone. As a result, the calendar date can differ for players in different locations. This guide covers the puzzle identified here as #964, dated January 30, 2026.
The Bottom Line
NYT Connections #964 answers: REGION — AREA, CLUSTER, PATCH, POCKET; GROOMING ITEMS — COMB, COMPACT, NAIL FILE, TWEEZERS; THINGS WITH ADHESIVE SURFACES — BAND-AID, LINT ROLLER, STICKER, TAPE; “___ HAND” — HELPING, MINUTE, POKER, UPPER.
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