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.
The NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle is a tough one today. But look for first names, and try to think of a last name they have in common, and you should be able to get the blue group easily enough.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it for free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
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: Decorate your room.
Green group hint: Gridiron specialists.
Blue group hint: They share a last name.
Purple group hint: Soccer score.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Things fans hang on their walls.
Green group: Football special teams positions.
Blue group: Williamses.
Purple group: Goal ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is things fans hang on their walls. The answers are banner, flag, pennant and poster.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is football special teams positions. The answers are kicker, long snapper, punter and returner.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is Williamses. The answers are Buzz, Caleb, Ted and Venus.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is goal ____. The answers are keeper, kick, post and tender.
Quick tips for Connections: Sports Edition
#1: Don’t grab for the easiest group. For each word, think about other sports categories it might fit in – is this a word that can be used in football, or to describe scoring options?
#2: Second meanings are important. The puzzle loves to use last names and even college names that mean other things, to fool you into thinking they are words, not names.
#3: And the opposite is also true. Words like HURTS might seem like a regular word, but it’s also the last name of at least one pro athlete.
