**Connections: Sports Edition – A New Challenge for Sports Fans**
*Connections: Sports Edition* offers a novel spin on the acclaimed [New York Times word game](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), crafted specifically to challenge sports fans.
Similar to the original *Connections*, the objective is to discover “common threads between words.” Like *Wordle*, the game resets every day at midnight, with each new challenge becoming increasingly difficult. If you’re feeling puzzled, we provide hints and strategies to assist you. For those who simply seek the answers, scroll down to the conclusion of this article for today’s solutions.
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### What Is *Connections: Sports Edition*?
This newest word game from *The New York Times* is a partnership with *The Athletic*, its sports-centric platform. Accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, *Connections: Sports Edition* invites players to group four words that share a unifying theme.
Each puzzle is made up of 16 words, categorized into four groups. These categories may include sports terminology, player names, team abbreviations, and more. While some words may appear to fit into multiple categories, there is only one correct group for each set.
Once a player accurately identifies a group, those words are eliminated from the board. However, incorrect guesses are counted as mistakes, and players are allowed up to four errors before the game concludes. For added convenience, players can shuffle the board to reveal connections more clearly.
The game also includes a color-coded difficulty system:
– **Yellow**: Easiest
– **Green**: Moderate
– **Blue**: Challenging
– **Purple**: Most difficult
Much like *Wordle*, players can share their outcomes on social media to compare results with friends.
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### Hints for Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
Need a little help? Here are some clues for today’s categories:
– **Yellow:** The action opposite to throwing in sports.
– **Green:** Terms associated with grappling.
– **Blue:** Frequently used sports abbreviations.
– **Purple:** A common first name.
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### Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition* Categories
Feeling stuck? Here are today’s puzzle categories:
– **Yellow:** *Catch*
– **Green:** *Wrestling terms*
– **Blue:** *NFL teams displayed on scoreboards*
– **Purple:** *Big ____*
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### The Solution to Today’s *Connections: Sports Edition*
Are you ready for the answers? Here’s the solution for today’s puzzle:
1. **Catch**: GRAB, NAB, SNAG, SNATCH
2. **Wrestling terms**: FALL, PIN, REVERSAL, TAKEDOWN
3. **NFL teams displayed on scoreboards**: CAR, DEN, JAX, WAS
4. **Big ____**: 12, DANCE, FLY, LEAGUE
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Don’t fret if you didn’t solve it this time—there’s always tomorrow for another attempt! We’ll return with more hints and answers to keep your mind engaged.
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### Looking for More Games?
If you enjoy puzzles, explore [Mashable’s games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. Additionally, if you’re engaging with *Wordle* or *Strands*, we’ve got you sorted with [today’s Wordle answer](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-december-28-2024) and [Strands hints and solutions](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-december-28).
Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Locate the solution here](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-december-28).
Happy puzzling!