At a Glance
- The Jan. 6 Connections: Sports Edition puzzle features tricky athlete names disguised as common nouns
- Four color-coded groups test knowledge across multiple sports
- Puzzle available free online via The Athletic
- Why it matters: Sports fans need sharp eyes to spot player names mixed with everyday vocabulary
The Jan. 6 Connections: Sports Edition puzzle challenges fans to identify athlete surnames that masquerade as regular words, all displayed in capital letters that hide their true identities.
Puzzle Structure Explained
The puzzle groups clues into four themed categories, ranging from straightforward yellow to the notoriously difficult purple. Players must identify connections between words that may look like ordinary nouns but actually represent athlete names or sports terminology.
Today’s Category Breakdown
The yellow group focuses on directional changes, while green tests basketball knowledge. Blue targets active MLB pitchers, and purple plays on compound words starting with “back.”
Yellow Group: Change Direction
- Answers: PIVOT, TURN, VEER, ZIG
Green Group: Basketball Shot Types
- Answers: ALLEY-OOP, FADEAWAY, FLOATER, LAYUP
Blue Group: Active MLB Pitchers
- Answers: CEASE, CROCHET, WHEELER, WOO
Purple Group: Back ____
- Answers: BOARD, FIELD, STOP, STRETCH
Access And Availability
The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle launched out of beta and now appears in The Athletic app rather than the NYT Games app. Players can access it for free online, making it available to casual fans and serious sports enthusiasts alike.
Key Takeaways
- Athlete surnames often appear as ordinary words in the puzzle
- The puzzle requires knowledge across multiple sports
- Blue categories typically feature current player names
- Purple categories use wordplay and compound words
The Jan. 6 puzzle demonstrates how the game combines sports trivia with linguistic challenges, creating a unique test for fans who know their way around both vocabulary and rosters.
