This FluentSlang explainer covers Champion as it appeared in the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 20, 2026. Use it for the quick meaning, the puzzle trap, and the related same-day clues.
Champion meaning in this puzzle
Champion has two main meanings. Most people know the first one: a champion is a winner, the person or team that comes out on top. The second one is the sneaky one. To champion something means to support, defend, or fight for it in public.
Read this clue through the group label endorse, then check whether the other answers point the same way.
Why It Showed Up In Connections
This clue came from the NYT Connections hints and answers for June 20, 2026. In that grid, it pointed toward endorse.
The key is to test the whole group, not just the first meaning that pops into your head.
Why this clue can fool people
The trap was the trophy. Champion screams sports and winning, so your brain wants to link it to competition, not to the quiet act of supporting a cause. The puzzle counted on that reflex.
How To Read It Fast
Start with the ordinary meaning of Champion, then ask whether the puzzle is using it as slang, a phrase, a category label, or a wordplay trick.
If the clue only matches one other answer, keep going. The correct Connections group should make all four answers feel like they belong together.
Quick Examples
Today’s Connections Explainers
These pages are built from the same puzzle, so they are the most relevant next reads.