Sports Connections Hints: Jan 4, 2025

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints for the NYT Sports Connections puzzle published on Jan 4, 2025 (2025-01-04). Step through the hints in order and only reveal the full board when you're ready.

Meta: Sports puzzle #285

Puzzle #285 · 2025-01-04 · sports

Step through today’s Connections hints

Start with broad themes, then reveal more detail about the groups and tiles only when you need it. The final button shows today's full group breakdown.

Puzzle reference: Connections #285 for 2025-01-04, edition sports, with a standard four-group board. Spoiler categories and tiles stay collapsed until you open the hint layers below.

Hint 1 – overall theme

There are 4 groups in today’s puzzle.

Themes include: AN ATHLETE'S SHIRT, FOOTBALL MOVIES, MINOR-LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM NAMES and 1 more.

Hint 2 – group titles

Here are the category names for each group. Try matching the tiles in the official game to these themes before you reveal any tiles.

AN ATHLETE'S SHIRT
FOOTBALL MOVIES
MINOR-LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM NAMES
NBA PLAYER NICKNAMES

Hint 3 – group tiles

Reveal the tiles for each group. If you only want a partial nudge, stop after reading one or two groups and go back to the official puzzle.

AN ATHLETE'S SHIRT

JERSEY

KIT

SWEATER

UNIFORM

FOOTBALL MOVIES

DRAFT DAY

INVINCIBLE

LEATHERHEADS

RUDY

MINOR-LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM NAMES

BISCUITS

JUMBO SHRIMP

TRASH PANDAS

YARD GOATS

NBA PLAYER NICKNAMES

ANT-MAN

JOKER

KAT

SPIDA

Reveal full answer

This is the full breakdown of today's Connections puzzle: group titles and all tiles, grouped together.