Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition leaned into a fun mix of famous names, broadcast language, and sports-slang that rewards broad knowledge across leagues. Puzzle #486, released on January 22, 2026, is the kind of grid that looks approachable at first glance, then gets tricky once you realize several entries could plausibly fit more than one theme.
The goal is to sort 16 terms into four groups of four that share a common thread. If you’d like to solve without spoilers, start with the word list below, then move into the hints. The answers are hidden behind a tap-to-reveal button.
Today’s Sports Edition word list
DYNAMO, PLAYMAKERS, AROUND THE HORN, DREAM JOB, MIKE TOMLIN, THE YANKEE CLIPPER, SPARK PLUG, EMPTY NET, FIREBALL, STUMP THE SCHWAB, JOHN MADDEN, TONY HAWK, GO-GETTER, SEAN PAYTON, JOE BUCK, DON SHULA
Today’s puzzle details:
Puzzle number: 486
Date: January 22, 2026
By Mark Cooper (The Athletic)
Gentle hints to get you started
One group describes an energetic or high-motor person — the kind of player commentators love to praise for hustle and intensity.
Another category is made up entirely of head coaches who won a Super Bowl. If you’re thinking legendary NFL sideline figures, you’re on the right path.
A third set connects titles that longtime sports fans may recognize from classic ESPN programming, especially shows that defined the network’s early identity.
The final group is the trickiest and most abstract. Each entry ends in the name of an NBA team when spoken or written in singular form — a classic Sports Edition wordplay trap.
Stronger hint before the reveal
Be careful with famous names. One global sports icon does not belong with coaches or energy descriptors. Instead, focus on how the last word sounds rather than who the person is.
An energetic person
DYNAMO, FIREBALL, GO-GETTER, SPARK PLUG
These are all commonly used to describe someone who brings nonstop energy, effort, or momentum — especially in a sports context.
Head coaches who won a Super Bowl
DON SHULA, JOHN MADDEN, MIKE TOMLIN, SEAN PAYTON
Each of these coaches led a team to a Super Bowl victory and is firmly embedded in NFL history.
Former ESPN shows
AROUND THE HORN, DREAM JOB, PLAYMAKERS, STUMP THE SCHWAB
This group leans on sports-media knowledge, referencing well-known ESPN programs from different eras of the network.
Ends in an NBA team, singular form
EMPTY NET, JOE BUCK, THE YANKEE CLIPPER, TONY HAWK
This was the most deceptive category. Each phrase ends with a word that matches an NBA team name when used in the singular, making this a classic Sports Edition misdirection.
Difficulty assessment
Overall, today’s Sports Edition landed in the moderate-to-challenging range. The coaching group was the cleanest for NFL fans, but the middle categories created overlap — especially if you tried to solve by “famous names vs. not famous names.” The puzzle rewarded patience, and many solvers likely finished with one or two mistakes remaining.
