Spoiler warning: The four hints come first; the category names and full answer groups follow. This is the New York Times Connections: Sports Edition puzzle dated Saturday, January 31, 2026—not the regular Connections puzzle.
Hints for the January 31 Connections Sports Edition puzzle
Each hint points toward one of the four groups without revealing its full set of answers:
- Yellow: The Buckeye State.
- Green: Hoops leaders.
- Blue: Sports cinema.
- Purple: Hoops teams hidden in words.
The game presents 16 terms to sort into four groups of four. For this Sports Edition board, the groups connect to an Ohio athlete, NBA head coaches, 1996 sports films, and phrases that begin with an NBA team name in singular form.
Full categories and answers
The following solutions are reported by Parade’s January 31 guide. The Word Finder’s guide independently lists the same 16 board entries.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
- Ultimate sports trivia. 300 sports quiz questions for the sports fanatic by Professor Puzzle.
- Consider yourself a sports know-it-all? Test & develop your sports trivia knowledge with 300 questions across 3 categories of difficulty.Consider yourself a sports know-it-all? Test & develop your sports trivia knowledge with 300 questions across 3 categories of difficulty.
- Set contains: 300 cards with 300 questions.
- Part of Professor Trivia collection - A collection of fun, unique trivia quiz games/party games.
Yellow — An Ohio athlete
- BENGAL
- BLUE JACKET
- GUARDIAN
- RED
Green — NBA head coaches
- BICKERSTAFF
- BROWN
- KIDD
- LUE
Blue — Sports films of 1996
- HAPPY GILMORE
- KINGPIN
- SPACE JAM
- TIN CUP
Purple — Starts with an NBA team, in singular form
- KNICKKNACK
- NETWORK
- SPURRIER
- SUNDANCE
How to use the clues
If you wanted a nudge rather than the solution, stop at the hints above. For a full check, compare each four-word set with the category labels: the yellow group uses Ohio sports identities, green surnames identify NBA coaches, blue entries are films released in 1996, and purple entries start with a singular NBA team name. The published guide identifies this as puzzle #495.
The solution details here come from two secondary answer guides, not an official NYT archive. They agree on the board entries and dated solution, but that does not amount to direct official verification.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- TRIVIA SET – Expand your little one’s knowledge of all things sports with this Sports Trivia quiz card set from Petit Collage.
- IDEAL CHILDREN’S GIFT – Suitable for ages 5+, this trivia set encourages kids to learn about a wide variety of sports.
- PLAY & DEVELOPMENT – Start expanding young minds with 50 fun question-and-answer cards that will surprise and delight. The set includes some multiple-choice and true-or-false questions, too, making the game accessible to varying levels of ability.
- PLAY & DEVELOPMENT – Start expanding young minds with 50 fun question-and-answer cards that will surprise and delight. The set includes some multiple-choice and true-or-false questions, too, making the game accessible to varying levels of ability.
- PETIT COLLAGE – Petit Collage is all about good design. We combine a modern aesthetic with environmentally conscious manufacturing to create bold, thoughtful products to delight little ones. We strive to make our products beautiful and fun in equal measure.
Rank #4
- ULTIMATE FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE: Dive into the NFL Gameday board game, perfect for football enthusiasts. Enjoy strategic gameplay that brings the excitement of the field to your tabletop.
- FAMILY FUN FOR ALL: Designed for up to four players, this NFL board game is ideal for family game nights. Suitable for adults and kids, it offers engaging play for everyone.
- STRATEGIC PLAY: Test your skills with this NFL football board game. Plan your moves carefully to outsmart opponents and score touchdowns, making it a thrilling experience.
- PORTABLE DESIGN: With compact dimensions of 9.5 inches, this NFL game day board is easy to store and transport. Take it to gatherings or play at home for endless fun.
- SAFE AND DURABLE: Made from high-quality plastic, this NFL board game is built to last. It includes small parts, so it's recommended for ages twelve and up.
Rank #3
- FUN PARTY GAME: American Trivia features two-sided cards, with 1,000 questions that cover five categories: Geography, History, Pop Culture, Sports, and General trivia. Making this a great party game that can be played by a wide range of ages.
- PLAY AND LEARN: Are you looking for an entertaining way to learn about the good ‘ole USA? Playing the American Trivia Game, you will learn about historical landmarks, tourist spots, famous people, and the pop culture that has forged this great country.
- BENEFITS: Playing trivia games can help improve cognitive skills and expand your knowledge. Learn something new or sharpen your skills, our game offers both easy and challenging questions making it fun for tweens and adults.
- INCLUDES: 100 Double-Sided Cards (1,000 Questions), (1) Score Pad, (1) Pencil, and Instructions.
Rank #2
- 🏀 Exciting Card Game with 300 Pro Basketball Trivia Questions!
- 🏀🏀 Questions span from 1980s up until 2025! True fans will be challenged and thrilled!
- 🏀🏀🏀 Play with 2 friends for a 1-on-1 showdown or up to 10 players for an epic basketball trivia battle.
- 🏀🏀🏀🏀 You can finally prove to your friends who knows more about the league!
- 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀 If you like basketball then you will love this challenging trivia game!
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.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.
