NYT Connections: Sports Edition for Jan. 27 (#491)

Need help with today’s Connections: Sports Edition? The Jan. 27, 2026, puzzle (No. 491) is a solid challenge. The early groups are approachable, but the purple category really tests your eye for details—specifically, what shows up on NHL team logos.

Below are spoiler-safe hints first, then the full answers with explanations.

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🔍 Hints for Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Groups

Ranked from easiest (yellow) to toughest (purple):

• 🟨 Yellow Group Hint: Zzzz…
• 🟩 Green Group Hint: Think Arnold Schwarzenegger
• 🟦 Blue Group Hint: (Former) leader of the Pack
• 🟪 Purple Group Hint: On hockey attire

If purple feels abstract, focus on symbols and imagery, not team names.

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✅ Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Answers (Jan. 27, #491)

🟨 Yellow Group — Grow Exhausted

• Fade
• Fatigue
• Tire
• Weaken

🟩 Green Group — Weight Exercises

• Bench
• Curl
• Deadlift
• Squat

🟦 Blue Group — Aaron Rodgers Teams

• California
• Green Bay
• New York
• Pittsburgh

(College + NFL stops included.)

🟪 Purple Group — Found in NHL Team Logos

• Long Island
• Musical note
• Oil drop
• Wheel

This group rewards visual memory—spotting logo elements rather than reading the words literally.

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🤔 Why Today’s Puzzle Was Tricky

• Yellow & green lull you into a quick start
• Blue requires sports-career context
• Purple shifts from words to visual symbols, a classic Sports Edition twist

If purple came last, that’s by design.

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🏒 Where to Play Connections: Sports Edition

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, owned by The New York Times. You can play it:

• In The Athletic app
• Free on the web
  (It does not appear in the NYT Games app.)

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle number?

Today’s puzzle is No. 491.

What was the hardest group today?

The purple group, which focused on symbols found in NHL team logos.

Which Aaron Rodgers teams appeared in today’s puzzle?

California, Green Bay, New York, and Pittsburgh.

Where can I play Connections: Sports Edition?

You can play it on The Athletic’s website or app.

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💬 Your Turn

Which group did you lock in first—weight exercises or exhaustion words?
Did the NHL logo symbols click right away, or did purple slow you down?

Drop your solve order below 👇