NYT Connections puzzle #942, published Thursday, January 8, 2026, groups its 16 words into emotional reactions, rule-breaking behavior, first-class levers, and candy-bar wordplay. Use the progressively stronger hints below before scrolling to the category names and complete answers.
Spoiler warning: The hints below begin gently, but the category names and answer sections reveal the complete solution to NYT Connections puzzle #942.
Need a nudge?
Try these clues in order. Stop as soon as one helps you find a group.
- Yellow: Four entries describe physical sensations or reactions that can accompany a powerful emotion.
- Green: Four entries describe behavior that breaks rules, laws, ordinances, or accepted restrictions.
- Blue: Four objects can function as levers. Not all of them look like conventional tools.
- Purple: Four entries hide or form candy-bar names when they are split into smaller parts or joined with a candy-bar term.
What are the January 8, 2026 Connections categories?
- Yellow: Bit of a response to strong emotions
- Green: Break the rules
- Blue: First-class levers
- Purple: Starting with candy bars
What are the NYT Connections answers for January 8, 2026?
The 16-word board for puzzle #942 was:
SCISSORS, GOOSEBUMP, HEATHERS, CLOTHESPIN, JAYWALK, SEESAW, DOVETAIL, CHILL, CROWBAR, AEROPLANE, SHIVER, SPEED, LITTER, TINGLE, MARSALA, LOITER
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
Yellow: BIT OF A RESPONSE TO STRONG EMOTIONS
CHILL, GOOSEBUMP, SHIVER, TINGLE
These words describe bodily sensations or reactions that may occur during fear, excitement, awe, or another intense emotional experience. “Goosebump” is the singular form used on the board; it joins the more immediately recognizable sensation words chill, shiver, and tingle.
Green: BREAK THE RULES
JAYWALK, LITTER, LOITER, SPEED
Each entry points to conduct that can violate a rule or local restriction: jaywalking, littering, loitering, and speeding. The words do not all use the same grammatical form in ordinary speech, which can make the group slightly less obvious, but they share the rule-breaking idea.
Blue: FIRST-CLASS LEVERS
CLOTHESPIN, CROWBAR, SCISSORS, SEESAW
A first-class lever has its fulcrum between the effort and the load. A seesaw is the most familiar example, while a crowbar can work as a first-class lever when its contact point acts as the fulcrum. Scissors use a central pivot, and a clothespin also operates around a central pivot arrangement.
Why SCISSORS can mislead: They may first look like ordinary cutting equipment, but their intended connection here is mechanical rather than functional. In this puzzle, they belong with the other first-class levers.
Purple: STARTING WITH CANDY BARS
AEROPLANE, DOVETAIL, HEATHERS, MARSALA
This is the wordplay group. Each longer entry contains a fragment that begins a candy-bar name:
- AERO + plane = AEROPLANE
- DOVE + tail = DOVETAIL
- HEATH + ers = HEATHERS
- MARS + ala = MARSALA
The surface meanings are distractions: aeroplane suggests transportation, dovetail can suggest woodworking, heathers can suggest plants or names, and marsala can suggest wine or cooking. The useful fragments are AERO, DOVE, HEATH, and MARS.
Tricky words and red herrings
- GOOSEBUMP: The singular form is less natural for some solvers than “goosebumps,” but it completes the physical-reaction group.
- SCISSORS: Its obvious association with cutting tools points away from the first-class-lever category.
- AEROPLANE: The transportation meaning hides the AERO candy-bar fragment.
- DOVETAIL: Its woodworking meaning distracts from DOVE.
- MARSALA: The food-and-wine association obscures MARS.
- JAYWALK, LITTER, LOITER, SPEED: These entries have different grammatical patterns, but each describes or names behavior that can break a rule.
Want more puzzles after today’s game?
If you prefer solving away from a screen, a New York Times Games puzzle book is a related option to investigate. Reported descriptions of the physical New York Times Games Premium Puzzle Book include Connections alongside Wordle, Spelling Bee, and other games. Check the current edition, retailer listing, price, and availability before buying; this article does not imply that it contains the January 8, 2026 puzzle specifically.
Puzzle details
| Detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, January 8, 2026 |
| Game | NYT Connections #942 |
| Format | 16 words divided into four groups of four |
This is a historical answer guide: January 8, 2026 has already passed relative to the research date of August 12, 2026. The date and puzzle number are therefore stated explicitly rather than presented as a current-day puzzle.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFrequently Asked Questions
What were the Connections categories for January 8, 2026?
The four groups were emotional physical reactions; behaviors that break rules; first-class levers; and words beginning with candy-bar names.
Best Value
How does the candy-bar category work?
The purple group uses AERO in AEROPLANE, DOVE in DOVETAIL, HEATH in HEATHERS, and MARS in MARSALA.
Why are scissors in the lever group?
SCISSORS, CLOTHESPIN, CROWBAR, and SEESAW are the first-class levers. In each case, the relevant pivot or fulcrum lies between the effort and the load.
The Bottom Line
The solution to NYT Connections #942 on Thursday, January 8, 2026, was CHILL, GOOSEBUMP, SHIVER, TINGLE for emotional reactions; JAYWALK, LITTER, LOITER, SPEED for breaking rules; CLOTHESPIN, CROWBAR, SCISSORS, SEESAW for first-class levers; and AEROPLANE, DOVETAIL, HEATHERS, MARSALA for entries beginning with candy-bar names.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
