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Today's Connections: Sports Edition this is a difficult question. I saw both SEATTLE and WASHINGTON in the clues, and sitting here in Seattle, Washington, I tried to put them in the same group. Spoiler: It didn't work. If you can't solve today's puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for the hints and answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, a subscription sports journalism site owned by The Times. It's not on the NYT Games app, but it's on The Athletic's own app. Or you can play it for free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Puzzle Sports Edition out of beta
Tips for Today's Groups Connections: Sports Edition
Here are four grouping clues in today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, from the simplest yellow grouping to the challenging (and sometimes bizarre) purple grouping.
Yellow group hint: Grid protection.
Green group hint: Shoot there.
Blue group hint: Envelope, please.
Purple group hint: Terrible weather.
Answers to Today's Connections Groups: Sports Edition
Yellow group: Football helmet parts.
Green group: Baseball fields.
Blue group: Oscar nominees for his role as a boxer.
Purple group: ____ storm.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here are the most popular letters used in English words
What are today's Connections: Sports Edition answers?
Completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition January 3, 2026 puzzle.
Yellow words in today's connections
The topic is football helmet details. The four answers are: chin strap, face mask, padding and shell.
Green words in today's connections
The theme is baseball fields. The four answers are changer, cutter, slider and divider.
Blue words in today's connections
The topic is Oscar nominees for the role of a boxer. Four answers: De Niro, Stallone, Swank and Washington.
Purple words in today's connections
Topic: ____ storm. Four answers: Court, Hannah, Red and Seattle.
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