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Hints for Connections Sports Edition #481
Use the clues in order: the first points toward a broad idea, while each one after it narrows in on a category. Stop before the answer key if you still want to solve the groups yourself.
- Yellow: Think about leading the pack and holding the No. 1 position.
- Green: Name the four teams in an NFL division.
- Blue: Look for a shared first name, as with Bridges or Goldblum.
- Purple: Think of rockets, and names or places associated with them.
How to approach the word bank
The 16 words are FIRST, FRONT, LEAD, POLE, BUFFALO, MIAMI, NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK, BAGWELL, KENT, SATURDAY, VAN GUNDY, CLEMENS, HOUSTON, RICHARD, and TOLEDO. Try grouping the position-related words first, then test the city and team names against the division clue. The two remaining sets rely on a shared first name and a rocket connection.
Answers for January 17, 2026
Spoilers below. The four categories and their words are:
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- IN NO. 1 POSITION: FIRST, FRONT, LEAD, POLE
- AFC EAST TEAMS: BUFFALO, MIAMI, NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK
- JEFFS: BAGWELL, KENT, SATURDAY, VAN GUNDY
- ROCKETS: CLEMENS, HOUSTON, RICHARD, TOLEDO
What connects the last two groups?
JEFFS
Each answer is the surname of a person whose first name is Jeff.
ROCKETS
These words connect to rocket-related people, teams, or places. The category depends on that broad association rather than on all four words being the same kind of thing.
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Puzzle details
Connections Sports Edition is a daily puzzle with 16 words divided into four groups of four. Parade describes it as a partnership between The New York Times and The Athletic, with the goal of grouping sports terms that share a common thread. This guide covers puzzle #481, dated Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Sources: Parade’s January 17, 2026 hints and answers; Swikblog’s January 17, 2026 answer guide.
Quick Recap
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