*Connections: Sports Edition* is a fresh iteration of the renowned New York Times word game designed to challenge sports enthusiasts’ knowledge. Similar to the original *Connections*, the game emphasizes discovering “shared themes among words.” Much like *Wordle*, *Connections* resets daily at midnight, with every new word set increasing in difficulty—hence, we’ve included some hints and strategies to assist you.
If you’re seeking today’s puzzle solution, scroll to the end of this article for the latest *Connections* answer. Alternatively, if you wish to solve it independently, keep reading for hints, advice, and tactics.
**What is Connections Sports Edition?**
The NYT’s newest daily word game launches in partnership with *The Athletic*, the New York Times brand for sports reporting. *Connections* can be accessed on web browsers and mobile devices, requiring players to group four related words.
Every puzzle consists of 16 words, segmented into four categories. These categories might range from book titles to software names or country designations. While many words may appear to connect, there is only one accurate grouping.
When a player successfully recognizes all four words in a category, those words are eliminated from the board. A wrong guess counts as an error—players have up to four mistakes allowed before the game concludes.
Players can reorganize and shuffle the board to discover connections more efficiently. Each group is color-coded, with yellow being the simplest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Similar to *Wordle*, you can share your results with friends on social media.
**Here’s a hint for today’s Connections Sports Edition categories**
Looking for a clue about the categories without the categories being revealed? Consider these:
– **Yellow:** Activities you’d perform on a track
– **Green:** Films
– **Blue:** Notable Joes
– **Purple:** Nicknames from the Midwest
**Here are today’s Connections Sports Edition categories**
Need a little more assistance? Today’s connections belong to these categories:
– **Yellow:** Walking, At Different Paces
– **Green:** Sports Films with One Word
– **Blue:** Well-known Joes
– **Purple:** Initial Four Letters of Big Ten Team Names
Interested in Wordle today? [Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-june-11-2025)
Ready for the solutions? This is your final opportunity to pause and work on today’s puzzle before we disclose the answers.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s *Connections Sports Edition* #261 is…
**What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today**
– Moving on Foot, At Different Paces – **JOG, RUN, SPRINT, WALK**
– One-word Sports Films – **ALI, CREED, MIRACLE, SEABISCUIT**
– Notable Joes – **BUCK, FRAZIER, MONTANA, TORRE**
– Initial Four Letters of Big Ten Team Names – **CORN, SCAR, SPAR, WILD**
Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t guess correctly this time. There will be fresh *Connections* to stimulate your mind tomorrow, and we’ll return with more helpful hints.
Are you also engaging with NYT Strands? [See hints and answers for today’s Strands.](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-june-11-2025)
If you’re in search of additional puzzles, Mashable’s got games available! Visit our [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword puzzles, and more.
Not the date you’re looking for? [Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-june-11-2025)