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Need a nudge before seeing the solution? For the Monday, January 27, 2025, NYT Connections puzzle—game #596—start with the hints below. The four category names and all 16 words appear after the spoiler break.
Hints for Connections #596
Try to find the four groups before scrolling to the answers. The hints move from a general clue to the category itself.
- Yellow: Snack-size.
- Green: Outer layer.
- Blue: Cook with this.
- Purple: Here’s Johnny!
Spoilers: January 27 answers
The complete solution for game #596 is below.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | SMALL AMOUNT OF FOOD TO TRY | BITE, MOUTHFUL, SAMPLE, TASTE |
| Green | PROTECTIVE COVERINGS IN NATURE | BARK, SCALES, SHELL, SKIN |
| Blue | “EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL” | EXTRA, OIL, OLIVE, VIRGIN |
| Purple | SEEN IN “THE SHINING” | AXE, HEDGE MAZE, TWINS, TYPEWRITER |
All 16 words
OLIVE; TYPEWRITER; EXTRA; SAMPLE; BARK; BITE; AXE; SCALES; TWINS; OIL; SHELL; VIRGIN; TASTE; HEDGE MAZE; SKIN; MOUTHFUL.
Why the trickier groups fit
Blue: a phrase hiding in plain sight
EXTRA, VIRGIN, OLIVE and OIL combine into the familiar phrase “extra virgin olive oil.” The category is about assembling the words into that phrase, rather than finding four separate cooking ingredients.
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Purple: references to The Shining
AXE, HEDGE MAZE, TWINS and TYPEWRITER are all seen in the film The Shining. “Here’s Johnny!” is the hint pointing toward the movie.
Yellow and green: direct associations
BITE, MOUTHFUL, SAMPLE and TASTE describe small amounts of food to try. BARK, SCALES, SHELL and SKIN are protective coverings found in nature.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Connections works
Connections presents 16 words and asks players to sort them into four groups of four that share a link. The groups are color-coded by difficulty: green is easiest, followed by yellow, blue and purple, which is usually the hardest. Players can make up to four mistakes. The game is playable on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
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