NYT Connections Sports Edition #485 Hints and Answers for Jan 21, 2026

Are you stuck on today's grid? NYT Connections Sports Edition #485 is here to test your childhood memory and pro-sports knowledge this January 21, 2026. Launched in association with The Athletic, this specialized version of the viral word game is quickly becoming a daily ritual for fans worldwide.

How to Master NYT Connections Sports Edition #485

The mechanics remain consistent: you're faced with 16 words that must be sorted into four groups based on a common thread. Each group is color-coded by difficulty. Yellow represents the most straightforward connection, followed by green, blue, and the notoriously tricky purple. With only four mistakes allowed before the game ends, the pressure's on to identify the overlaps.

Today's Category Breakdown and Solutions

Today's puzzle ranges from general sports terminology to specific NFL statistics. If you're struggling to find the connection between 'DUB' and 'W', or 'WATT' and 'WARE', here is the full solution for today's challenge.

• Yellow (Victory): DUB, TRIUMPH, W, WIN
• Green (Pro Teams Starting with W): WARRIORS, WHITE SOX, WILD, WIZARDS
• Blue (Colloquial College Nicknames): CATS, HOOS, VOLS, ZAGS
• Purple (Players with 20-Plus Sacks in a Season): GARRETT, HOUSTON, WARE, WATT