Sports Connections Hints: Jan 17, 2025

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints for the NYT Sports Connections puzzle published on Jan 17, 2025 (2025-01-17). Step through the hints in order and only reveal the full board when you're ready.

Meta: Sports puzzle #296

Puzzle #296 · 2025-01-17 · 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 #296 for 2025-01-17, 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: FIGHT, SHORTENED NICKNAMES FOR BOSTON TEAMS, PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES 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.

FIGHT
SHORTENED NICKNAMES FOR BOSTON TEAMS
PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES
ASTROS "KILLER B'S"

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.

FIGHT

BATTLE

BOX

BRAWL

SPAR

SHORTENED NICKNAMES FOR BOSTON TEAMS

B'S

C'S

PATS

SOX

PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM NICKNAMES

BEES

CHERRIES

FOXES

HAMMERS

ASTROS "KILLER B'S"

BAGWELL

BELL

BERKMAN

BIGGIO

Reveal full answer

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