Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for Jan. 12, #111

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

I didn’t do that well on today’s Connections: Sports Edition. For one thing, I’m not exactly up on which colleges certain athletes attended. If you need help, read on for hints and answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle.

For now, the game is in beta, which means the Times is testing it out to see if it’s popular before adding it to the site’s Games app. You can play it daily for now for free — and then we’ll have to see if it sticks around.

Read more: NYT Has a Connections Game for Sports Fans. I Tried It

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: You can beat them.

Green group hint: Cheerleaders have this.

Blue group hint: O’Connell is another one.

Purple group hint: They were Volunteers.