NYT Connections Sports Version: Clues and Solutions for December 22, 2025

The current Connections: Sports Edition will be simpler if you are familiar with team names.

This iteration of the well-known New York Times word game challenges sports enthusiasts’ knowledge.

<pSimilar to the original Connections, the game consists of identifying “common threads among words.” Like Wordle, Connections resets at midnight, with each new grouping of words increasing in difficulty — so we’ve offered some hints and suggestions to assist you.

If you’re interested in today’s puzzle solution, you can jump to the end of this article. If not, continue reading for clues, advice, and strategies.

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What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT‘s newest daily word game, introduced with The Athletic, challenges players to group four words that share something in common. Connections can be accessed through web browsers and mobile devices.

Each puzzle contains 16 words organized into four categories. These groups may include book titles, software names, country titles, etc. Despite several words appearing to connect, there is only one correct combination.

If a player successfully identifies all four words in a group, those words disappear from the board. An incorrect guess counts as a mistake — players have the option to make up to four mistakes before the game concludes.

Players are able to rearrange and shuffle the board for easier identification of connections. Each group is color-coded: yellow is the simplest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Similar to Wordle, you can share your results with friends via social media.