NYT Connections: Sports Edition for Jan 23 (#487)

Looking for help with today’s Connections: Sports Edition? The Jan. 23, 2026 puzzle (No. 487) is a clever one, reminding solvers that names don’t always look like names — and sneaking in a fun pop-culture moment if you noticed SANDY and CHEEKS sharing the grid.

If you’re stuck, don’t worry. Below are spoiler-safe hints first, followed by the full answers and breakdowns.

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🔍 Hints for Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Groups

Ranked from easiest (yellow) to most challenging (purple):

• 🟨 Yellow Group Hint: What’s your role?
• 🟩 Green Group Hint: Where teams shoot hoops
• 🟦 Blue Group Hint: Iconic baseball players
• 🟪 Purple Group Hint: Philadelphia

That last hint is narrower than it looks — context matters.

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✅ Today’s Connections: Sports Edition Answers (Jan. 23, #487)

Here are the confirmed groupings for today’s puzzle.

🟨 Yellow Group — Members of a Staff

• Coach
• Manager
• Scout
• Trainer

🟩 Green Group — Words Used in NBA Venue Names

• Arena
• Dome
• Forum
• Garden

🟦 Blue Group — Hall of Fame Pitchers, Familiarly

• Catfish
• Rollie
• Sandy
• Satchel

These nicknames refer to legendary pitchers whose first names or nicknames are often used on their own.

🟪 Purple Group — 76ers Head Coaches

• Brown
• Cheeks
• Nurse
• Rivers

This final group zeroes in on Philadelphia 76ers coaching history, and it’s easy to overlook if you’re thinking league-wide instead of team-specific.

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🤔 Why Today’s Puzzle Was Sneaky

• Names vs. common words: Sandy and Cheeks feel non-sportsy at first glance
• Blue group familiarity: Requires baseball history knowledge
• Purple group precision: Only applies to one NBA franchise

If purple was your last category, you weren’t alone.

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🏀 Where to Play Connections: Sports Edition

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

• In The Athletic app
• Free on the web
• (Not available in the NYT Games app)

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💬 Your Turn

Did the Hall of Fame pitchers click immediately, or did the 76ers coaches hold you up?
And did anyone else smile at the accidental SpongeBob moment?

Share your solve order and thoughts below 👇

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Game: NYT Connections: Sports Edition
Puzzle Number: #487
Date: January 23, 2026
Author: TechBoltX Team