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Chicagoans, today’s Connections: Sports Edition features one category that will be a breeze off Lake Michigan for you, so grab a slice of deep-dish pizza and go after it. For the rest of us, read on for hints and the answers.
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 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: Applaud, pay homage to.
Green group hint: Windy City jocks.
Blue group hint: College team nicknames.
Purple group hint: Not back, but…
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Recognize.
Green group: A Chicago athlete.
Blue group: ACC teams, familiarly.
Purple group: Front ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 22, 2025, #333.
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is recognize. The four answers are award, coronate, crown and honor.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is a Chicago athlete. The four answers are Bear, Blackhawk, Bull and Cub.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is ACC teams, familiarly. The four answers are Cal, Cuse, Pitt and Wake.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is front ____. The four answers are court, office, row and runner.
Toughest Connections: Sports Edition categories
The Connections: Sports Edition puzzle can be tough, but it really depends on which sports you know the most about. My husband aces anything having to do with Formula 1, my best friend is a hockey buff, and I can answer any question about Minnesota teams.
That said, it’s hard to pick the toughest Connections categories, but here are some I found exceptionally mind-blowing recently.
#1: Series A Clubs, Jan. 11. Answers: Atalanta, Juventus, Lazio, Roma.
#2: WNBA MVPs, Jan. 21. Answers: Catchings, Delle Donne, Fowles and Stewart.
#3: Premier League team nicknames, Jan. 17. Answers: Bees, Cherries, Foxes and Hammers.
#4: Homophones of NBA player names, Jan. 26. Answers: Barns, Connect, Heart and Hero.
Great Job Gael Cooper & the Team @ CNET Source link for sharing this story.
