**Connections: Sports Edition – A Fresh Challenge for Sports Lovers**
*Connections: Sports Edition* is the newest twist on the beloved *New York Times* word puzzle, aimed at challenging the expertise of sports fans. Like the original *Connections*, the gameplay centers on discovering “common threads among words.” Much like *Wordle*, the puzzle refreshes daily at midnight, with each challenge increasing in difficulty. If you find yourself in a bind, we have hints and tips available—or feel free to skip to the end of this article for today’s solution.
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### What Is *Connections: Sports Edition*?
This innovative daily word game from the *New York Times* is a partnership with *The Athletic*, the publication’s sports-oriented site. *Connections: Sports Edition* can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices. The goal? Organize four words that share a common theme.
Each puzzle features 16 words split into four categories. These categories may include sports terms, player nicknames, or various kinds of equipment. While it might appear that some words group together, there’s only one correct combination for each set.
When a player successfully matches a group of four related words, those words are eliminated from the board. However, wrong guesses count as errors, and players can make up to four mistakes before the game concludes. To assist players, the board can be shuffled to help identify connections more efficiently.
The game also incorporates a color-coding system to signify difficulty:
– **Yellow**: Easiest
– **Green**: Moderate
– **Blue**: Challenging
– **Purple**: Most difficult
Similar to *Wordle*, players are encouraged to share their results on social media to compare scores with friends.
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### Hints for Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
Need a little guidance? Here are some subtle suggestions for today’s categories:
– **Yellow**: Court infractions
– **Green**: Yankees second choice
– **Blue**: Activities on skates
– **Purple**: Varieties of balls
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
If you’re seeking additional assistance, here are today’s specific categories for the puzzle:
– **Yellow**: Violations in basketball
– **Green**: Nicknames for Derek Jeter
– **Blue**: Terms from roller derby
– **Purple**: ________ Ball
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Solution
Ready to find out the answers? Here’s the solution to today’s puzzle (*Connections: Sports Edition* #86):
– **Basketball violations**: BACKCOURT, DOUBLE-DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL
– **Derek Jeter nicknames**: CAPTAIN, DJ, JEETS, MR. NOVEMBER
– **Roller derby terminology**: BLOCKER, BRIDGING, JAMMER, PIVOT
– **________ Ball**: AIR, FOUL, GOLF, LONZO
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### Don’t Worry If You Missed It
If today’s puzzle eluded you, don’t be discouraged—there’s always tomorrow! A new *Connections* challenge comes daily, and we’ll be here with more hints and solutions to assist you.
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### Looking for More Games?
If you enjoy puzzles, visit Mashable’s [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for an assortment of challenges, including Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword puzzles, and more.
Interested in another *NYT* game? [Check out today’s Wordle answer](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-december-18-2024) or explore hints and solutions for *NYT Strands* [here](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-december-18).
Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Find the solution here](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-18).
Happy puzzling!