Sports Connections Hints: Feb 5, 2025

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints for the NYT Sports Connections puzzle published on Feb 5, 2025 (2025-02-05). Step through the hints in order and only reveal the full board when you're ready.

Meta: Sports puzzle #298

Puzzle #298 · 2025-02-05 · 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 #298 for 2025-02-05, 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: DOWNTURN, SURFING TERMS, NEW YORK COLLEGES 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.

DOWNTURN
SURFING TERMS
NEW YORK COLLEGES
HOMOPHONES OF NBA PLAYER NAMES

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.

DOWNTURN

DECLINE

PLUNGE

SKID

SLUMP

SURFING TERMS

BARREL

CREST

SWELL

WAVE

NEW YORK COLLEGES

COLGATE

COLUMBIA

ST. JOHN'S

SYRACUSE

HOMOPHONES OF NBA PLAYER NAMES

BARNS

CONNECT

HEART

HERO

Reveal full answer

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