**Connections: Sports Edition – A Fresh Take on the Popular NYT Word Game**
*Connections: Sports Edition* marks the newest version of the cherished [New York Times word game](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), tailored for sports fans. This variant keeps the core of the original *Connections* by prompting players to discover “common threads between words.” Much like *Wordle*, the game resets each day at midnight, with every new puzzle escalating in difficulty. To assist you in navigating the challenging landscape, we’ve gathered some tips and strategies to steer you through.
If you’re seeking today’s solution, feel free to scroll to the bottom of this article. However, if tackling it on your own sounds better, stay tuned for some handy suggestions and clues.
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### What Is *Connections: Sports Edition*?
This fresh daily word game from the *New York Times* is created in partnership with *The Athletic*, the publication’s sports-oriented platform. *Connections: Sports Edition* is available on both web browsers and mobile devices, pushing players to group four words that share a thematic link.
Each puzzle features 16 words, sorted into four categories. These categories can encompass everything from book titles to software, country names, and beyond. While numerous words might seem to align, there’s only one correct grouping for each collection.
Once you accurately identify a group of four words, they vanish from the board. Conversely, incorrect guesses tally as mistakes, with players permitted up to four errors before the game concludes. For added relief, players can shuffle the board for clearer visibility of connections. Each category is color-coded, with yellow being the simplest, then green, blue, and purple. Similar to *Wordle*, you can share your outcomes with friends on social media.
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### How to Play *Connections: Sports Edition*
Daily, participants receive a new set of 16 words. The objective is to discover four groups of four words that share a common theme. For instance, categories could include “surfing terms,” “New York colleges,” or “homophones of NBA player names.” The difficulty lies in recognizing the correct relationships while steering clear of deceptive overlaps.
To assist you, the game offers a color-coded difficulty system:
– **Yellow**: Simplest category
– **Green**: Moderately tough
– **Blue**: More challenging
– **Purple**: Toughest
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### Hints for Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
Looking for a little guidance? Here are some hints for today’s puzzle categories:
– **Yellow**: Negative trend
– **Green**: Phrases related to a water sport
– **Blue**: Universities near the Big Apple
– **Purple**: Sounds like they compete in basketball
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
If you’re still feeling stuck, here’s today’s categories laid out:
– **Yellow**: Decline
– **Green**: Surf-related terminology
– **Blue**: Colleges in New York
– **Purple**: Homophonic names of NBA players
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Solution
Ready for the answers? This is your final opportunity to look away before we unveil the solution.
Drumroll, please! The answer to today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* puzzle is:
– **Decline**: DECLINE, PLUNGE, SKID, SLUMP
– **Surf-related terminology**: BARREL, CREST, SWELL, WAVE
– **Colleges in New York**: COLGATE, COLUMBIA, ST. JOHN’S, SYRACUSE
– **Homophonic names of NBA players**: BARNS, CONNECT, HEART, HERO
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### Don’t Worry if You Missed It!
If you weren’t able to solve today’s puzzle, don’t be concerned. A brand new *Connections* puzzle will be available tomorrow, and we’ll return with more hints and answers to assist you.
Interested in more games? Visit Mashable’s [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, crosswords, and additional options. And if you’re also enjoying *NYT Strands*, [here are today’s hints and answers](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-january-26).
Want to go back to yesterday’s puzzle? [Here’s the solution](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-january-26-2025). Happy puzzling!