Sports Connections Hints: Jan 5, 2025

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints for the NYT Sports Connections puzzle published on Jan 5, 2025 (2025-01-05). Step through the hints in order and only reveal the full board when you're ready.

Meta: Sports puzzle #286

Puzzle #286 · 2025-01-05 · 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 #286 for 2025-01-05, 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: NUMERICAL RECORD OF A GAME, ACTION ON THE BASEPATHS, AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMEN'S SINGLES WINNERS 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.

NUMERICAL RECORD OF A GAME
ACTION ON THE BASEPATHS
AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMEN'S SINGLES WINNERS
FIRST _____

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.

NUMERICAL RECORD OF A GAME

OUTCOME

RESULT

SCORE

TALLY

ACTION ON THE BASEPATHS

LEAD

SLIDE

STEAL

TAG

AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMEN'S SINGLES WINNERS

BARTY

COURT

GRAF

OSAKA

FIRST _____

BASE

DOWN

QUARTER

TAKE

Reveal full answer

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